


Rebel Girl: Jo Harvelle's Story

by waywardbard



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Demons, F/M, Monster of the Week, Monsters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-18
Updated: 2010-12-18
Packaged: 2017-11-23 14:51:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 67,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/623369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardbard/pseuds/waywardbard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whatever happened to Jo Harvelle after Dean left? Written pre-season 5 and, like much of my SPN stuff, forced AU by the show. I love this story because of my accidental fortune-telling for some of S5's plot points.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The house was old, Victorian, and abandoned for that long by the look of it. Even her careful steps gave the occasional creak, which made it even easier for the thing following her to keep up. But as Uncle Shawn had always said, provided Ellen wasn't around, the key to hunting was turning your disadvantages ass backwards.

Climbing up on the old wardrobe wasn't exactly a quiet task, but gauging from the creaks following her, the skinwalker was still on the first floor. She crouched, knife in hand, ready for the moment he walked through the door.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she heard it's slow steps coming closer up the stairs. Her muscles practically jumped with adrenaline but she kept perfectly still, her breathing slow and silent. The steps faded slightly, probably going to the first upstairs room. She waited.

His gun came first. She saw his eyes dart to either side of the door jam but not up as he slowly eased his way in. As soon as he'd cleared the doorway, she leapt, her free hand going for his wrist as he managed to turn just before she drove him to the floor. There was the sound of all the air exploding out of his lungs as his body hit the floor, followed by a stunned silence but no attempt to fight off the lithe blond-haired woman currently pinning him.

"'kay, I deserved that," came the muffled voice, face-down against the scuffed wood.

While perplexed by the lack of struggle, Jo nevertheless placed the blade at the back of his neck. "This knife is silver. So much as move and I'll prove it very quickly. Don't answer my questions the way I like, and I'll prove it very slowly. Got it?"

"Then do it," the man replied, still not moving. "Only, could you do it on my arm or something instead? I kinda like having all my limbs functioning below my neck."

Jo frowned. This wasn't exactly going as she'd pictured it. Her other hand grabbing his hair to hold him in place, she shifted the knife over, slicing his shoulder through his shirt. It bled red instead of black. Her frown deepening, she brought the knife back to his neck.

"Who the fuck are you and why have you been following me?"

"I'm not sure which thing bugs me more; that you were that easy to follow, or that I was heard," the man replied. "No offense, sweetheart, but d'you think we could have this fight later? This  _is_  its lair, you know."

"You wouldn't have been able to follow me if I didn't want you to,  _sweetheart_. Your shoddy-ass tail job gave you away hours ago," she chided, though his words made her keep one eye on the door. "And you see, the longer it takes you to answer a simple question, the more I'm gonna assume you're buddy-buddy with our skinwalker friend. And you don't want me to start assuming that."

"I've been tailing you for three days, Jo," the man said clearly, a slight edge to his voice.

The words were like a bag of ice to the gut. She could have convinced herself he was lying otherwise, but he knew her name. The blade broke his skin, a long line of red. "I'm not going to ask again," she said lowly, leaning closer. "Who the fuck are you?"

She could feel him go tense just beneath her, and while he'd been placid at being cut into the shoulder, he appeared to take the new cut more personally. In an instant she found herself flipped off of him and him suddenly sitting on her knees, the wrist holding the knife held above her head by a gentle but firm grip. The face matched the grip; his expression was hard but not angry, and even more startling were his eyes, one of which was brown while the other was hazel. He frowned.

"Your mom was worried. This is the first hunt you've gone on since the accident. She wanted to make sure you were okay."

The shock on Jo's face quickly changed to fury, both at his drop on her and her mom. "So what are you, stalker or babysitter?" she snapped, her grip tightening but not struggling. "Get off."

"Let's go with 'both'," the man replied, a smile warring in the left corner of his mouth. "You think you're gonna take a skinwalker down with a silver knife and that's all? Really? 'Cause I don't feel a gun anywhere."

"If you could feel the gun, then you soon wouldn't be feeling anything below the waist," she said, her jaw tightening, trying not to get pissed off. "Now are you going to get off me or wait for the skinwalker to come by?"

"You didn't seem to care much when  _I_  was the one under you," he countered, allowing the smile that time before slipping off of her easily and coming to full standing. "Guess that says something."

She scowled, getting up and pointing at him with her knife-holding hand. "Look, I don't care what my mom said, Skip, but I don't need a smug ass stalker babysitter. So get out."

"Jay," he corrected immediately, bending long enough to get his gun. "You might not want me to stick around, but we can't always get what we want. I'm going down to the first floor." Without another word he turned, heading out through the door.

Staring in disbelief a moment, she pulled her gun from her back waistband before following him. "Unless you want me cutting you every time we run into each other, stay in my sight. Or leave. Leaving would be fine."

Jay's shoulders moved in a silent laugh, but otherwise he remained quiet, walking as close to the wall on the stairs as possible to keep them from creaking. Her nostrils flaring in frustration, she sheathed her knife and followed after him. "The basement. Most likely place it'd keep its victim."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Jay replied, his voice amused. The house was eerily quiet, to the point that even carefully-sought steps sounded loud and echoing. Jay was plenty glad to be off the rickety steps and onto the first floor again, quickly moving to the back corner of the house where he remembered seeing the lead-off toward the kitchen. The door for the basement steps would no doubt be close. Scowling still, Jo followed. She hated pattering after him, as if he were the one in charge. But two steps behind sure beat two steps ahead. Plausible story or not, she wasn't about to trust him just yet. Whether or not he was bothered by her presence, she was unsure. They were hardly halfway down the hall leading toward the kitchen when they heard a muted shout echoing up from beneath them. The words were muffled, but it was still quite obvious what they were:

"HELP ME! SOMEONE PLEASE! HELP!"

Despite herself, Jo rushed past Jay, making it to the basement door first, pulling her knife out as she went. That went first down the stairs, her gun held behind her. One for the possible danger ahead, the other for the possible danger behind. There was a light on in the stone cellar as she turned the corner at the base of the stairs. Stuck in what could have very been a kennel for a large dog was a young woman in her late teens, frightened-looking and dressed in little more than a potato sack.

"Are you that... that thing?" she asked immediately, pressing back in the kennel fearfully. Before she even answered Jay appeared just behind Jo, and the young woman immediately relaxed a little. "Thank god. Get me the hell out of here, before it gets back."

Jo was instantly kneeling in front of the cage, sliding her gun in her waist band before working at the lock with her knife. "Don't worry, you're safe now," Jo reassured her. "We know how to handle it. Or at least I do."

"Nice to have your vote of confidence," Jay said, standing a few feet back and watching warily. The young woman crouched awkwardly inside the kennel, obviously too tall to stand but too anxious to simply sit and watch. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Jo and Jay as she chewed her lower lip savagely.

"I thought nobody would  _ever_  find me," she said in a quiet voice.

Jo gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile before focusing back on the lock. Large knife and small padlock, it turned out, was not a winning combination. "When did it leave?" she asked the girl. "And did it look like you?"

"I don't know. I've been here for days," she replied, her expression pained.

"Jo, get out of the way," Jay said almost instantly.

With a jerk of her shoulder, she finally popped the lock open. "Yeah, I know how to open a padlock, alright?" she snapped, not even dignifying that with a glare.

"Jo!" Jay said sharply. It was too late; the moment the padlock was released, the frightened-looking young woman suddenly burst forward through the kennel door, one arm grabbing her around the neck and tugging her sharply against her form as a shield. Jay wasted no time, taking a shot at the unprotected elbow of the other woman. Her scream and black blood splatter hit Jo at once, her grip instantly limp. Jo swung an elbow back into the skinwalker's gut, but the iron grip it had pinning her knife hand to her back just pulled up, causing Jo to grimace in pain. The addition of a sharp pressure to the base of her back didn't help.

"Try that again and you'll get a knife up your spine!" the skinwalker shrieked, breathing hard through the pain.

"You won't live long enough," Jay spat, taking aim but not shooting. She was too inline with Jo for him to get a good angle for a killing blow.

Breathing hard, Jo met Jay's eyes. So it came to trusting a total stranger to do the right thing at the right moment. Granted, it was a total stranger who had pretty good aim, but still. Taking a breath, Jo jerked forward at the waist, enough to let up on the pressure of the knife. Her free arm swung back, grabbing the skinwalker's bad elbow and using it as a fulcrum to pull out of the grip on her wrist. She screamed through gritted teeth as the pain tore through her muscles, but the skinwalker was out in the open.

"NO!" it screamed, but even as the shouted word echoed off the basement walls, Jay took the shot. The skinwalker flew backward from the shot before falling altogether, hitting the stony floor with a resounding  _slam!_  To be extra careful, Jay walked toward it and shot it a second time in the chest, and a third time through the forehead. Breathing hard through her nose, her arm clutched to her chest, Jo straightened up, her jaw clenched with more than just pain.

"Only need it through the heart, you know."

"Better safe than sorry," Jay said, holstering the gun before turning to look back at her. His expression turned concerned. "Dislocated?"

Every part of her knew admitting it would hurt almost as bad as the injury, but then he'd probably notice something was off when she couldn't use her arm. "Think so," she said stiffly. Jay gave a pained half-smile and a nod.

"C'mon, let's go upstairs; I'll fix you up."

"The real girl might still be here," she said, stubbornly. "We've got to find her first."

"I'll find her, but after you're fixed," he countered sternly. "You're no good with only one arm."

' _I_ 'll find her.' Cocky bastard. She headed for the stairs. "Grab my knife. Silver's not cheap."

Jay frowned but nodded, grabbing the knife from where it'd dropped on the ground and tucking into his boot before following after her. He met her at the top of the stairs, gently leading her toward the living room.

"Turn around and brace yourself on the table," he instructed, already feeling empathy without having started.

"Bet you say that to all the girls," she said, though her heart wasn't in it. She leaned on the table, closing her eyes and trying to force her muscles to relax. Jay moved his hand to her shoulder and arm, taking a slow breath and letting it out.

"Sorry," he said near her ear, then lifted and yanked back at the same moment.

She gave a sharp yell though her determinedly pursed lips muffled it. The pain was short, though, and her shoulder felt a great deal better as it eased, her body giving a shudder as she let out a long breath.

"Okay. The girl," she said, straightening and gingerly moving her arm.

"The attic," Jay interjected. "I saw a light up there when I was coming up on the house earlier. It was out by the time I got to the door, though. I came into your room thinking the skinwalker was there."

While she didn't think she'd need it, Jo pulled out her gun as they headed for the stairway. Halfway up, she spoke. "So what exactly are your stalker-babysitter duties?"

Jay followed up behind her, hands in his pockets, though he gave a breath of a laugh when she spoke.

"Make sure you had back-up if necessary, step in when I needed to, take out the baddie if you didn't," he replied, keeping a few steps back so that they were almost the same height as they took the stairs.

She didn't look back as she hit the landing. "No reporting involved then?"

"She asked me to," Jay said, joining her. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna, though."

She stopped, for a moment looking at him without any anger or uncertainty, her eyes only a little wide. "Thanks."

 _Doesn't mean you weren't stupid, either_ , she reminded herself, scowling and walking to the attic landing. "Probably wouldn't have needed your help if you hadn't been distracting me," she muttered stubbornly.

That brought a derisive snort of laughter, but once again Jay didn't respond otherwise. He reached up to the rope-tug easily, a bare inch of midriff showing as his shirt crept up in the process. A ladder slid down easily from where it rested, and Jay stepped back to give her the option of going first if she wanted. Her eyes hadn't missed the skin, and it was only then it struck her that he wasn't all that unattractive. Definitely a helluva lot younger than the "uncles" her mom used to entrust her to.

"Now you're acting a gentleman?" she said with a snort, taking the offer anyway.

The smell hit her first. It wasn't enough to make her stop, but it sure made her wish she could. The sight of the attic sure wasn't any better. This skinwalker had clearly been through a couple sheddings, and bodies that inspired them. Jay's nose shriveled up at the smell as well, one hand going down to pull the edge of his shirt up over his nose as if it were sufficient enough to block it. It was relatively dark, and with that thought he reached for his pocket and the zippo that rested within. With two attempts the flame burst to life on the wick, sending faint yellow light across the space of the attic.

"There she is," Jay said, already moving to the last of the bound bodies chained to an old antique trunk. He closed the lighter and exchanged it for a swiss army knife from his pocket, flipping open the serrated knife to start sawing the ropes free. Jo went to work at the gag.

"It's alright," she said quietly, unnerved by the girl's eyes. She watched them but impassively, as if they were a boring TV show. "We're going to get you out of here. It's dead, it won't hurt you any more."

The girl swallowed dryly before nodding once. Upon baring her wrists, the skin was raw from obvious struggle. Her knees and ankles appeared slightly less worse for wear, but she had obviously soiled herself at one point, and moved sluggishly as if she was drugged. With little visual discomfort, Jay lifted her easily in his arms and started toward the ladder again. Jo hurried ahead of him, heading down.

"You can pass her along to me, if you can't make it through like that."

"I got it," Jay replied with a grunt, taking the steps carefully with his back pressed firmly against the ladder. He looked relieved to get to the floor again, shifting the girl just briefly before they continued again.

"Do you have clothes in your car?" he asked, looking at Jo.

"Yeah." She was headed for the stairs almost before the question left his mouth. It was part out of helpfulness and part out of the desire to get away. What the girl had been through, what she'd seen... Jo hadn't taken a close look, but if her intel was right, one of the bodies up there was the girl's brother.

Despite her misgivings, she didn't take her time, hurrying back in as soon as she'd grabbed an extra outfit. Jay was exactly where she'd left him, though the girl looked slightly more aware now that they were no longer in the attic. He shifted her lightly in his arms.

"Probably best that you change her," he said with a small nod toward the hallway containing, no doubt, a bathroom.

* * *

It took a while, Jo using her over shirt and water from her canteen to try to help the girl clean off. They didn't say a word throughout. When she was dressed, Jay carried her to his car. Jo followed behind to the hospital. When she told the nurse that they'd just found the girl walking down the road, she didn't object. Made leaving go a lot smoother at least.

As they exited the emergency room, Jo suddenly felt awkward. How the hell do you say good-bye to a stranger/rescuer/stalker-babysitter?

"I dunno about you, but I'm getting a six pack and crashing in my hotel room," he said aloud, ambling halfheartedly beside her. He flashed her a sideways crooked smile before looking forward again.

"Sounds pretty good, actually," she admitted. Then, because she wasn't entirely sure it had been an invite, she added, "Other than the your hotel room bit, of course."

"You're not invited anyway," he countered, grinning wide to prove he was joking. They'd parked next to each other, though he moved over to his passenger's side and leaned against it, showing no desire to leave quickly.

She fiddled with her keys, finally really looking at him, though the lot lights weren't nearly bright enough to see him completely. "Not to sound even more fucking incompetent," she said, breaking the quiet, "but how did you know she was the skinwalker?"

Jay's smile softened a little before going fully neutral, shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging up his shoulders a little. "You can't last days without water and sound that excitable. I mean, you saw the girl. She, no doubt, went days without water."

Jo let out a breath of a laugh, a smile twitching at her lips. "Logic. Now that's just plain cheating." Her expression became a bit more distant. Something so simple and she'd missed it. "God, I'm rusty, aren't I?"

"Maybe," he replied, though not unkindly. He licked his lips for a moment, letting his shoulders drop down as he looked over at her. "How about that beer, yeah? Or are you feeling more like whiskey? There might still be a liquor store open."

"Beer's good," she said, even as a faraway little voice in the back of her head whispered a warning. "Any whiskey worth a damn would be stretching my budget for this trip."

"Lucky for you then that I'm a nice guy," Jay replied, tugging his own keys out. "Day job as a mechanic. I'll hit the liquor store, you hit the Safeway for beer. Miller Genuine's preferred."

"Sounds like a plan. Where you got yourself parked for the night?"

"The Best Western over near River North," he answered, circling around the front of his car. "See you in 30?"

"See you," she answered sliding into her driver's seat.

* * *

The whiskey went down nice and smooth. Almost too smooth, actually; Jo was already on her third glass and had curled her legs onto the armchair, a sure sign she was beginning to feel a little buzzed. It was pleasant, though. Nice. It'd been a while since she had a hunter her own age to talk to.

The television buzzed as background noise for the room, some inane night-time talk show that Jay hardly paid attention to as he sat on the edge of the bed. The liquor left him warm, and it hadn't taken long for him to strip off his shoes and socks, as well as the two shirts he'd been wearing on top of the undershirt. He did so without any sense of bashfulness; he simply wanted to cool down a little bit.

"There's left-over KFC in the mini fridge, if you're hungry," he said, his voice a little slurred from drinking but still fully comprehensible.

"Mm, prob'ly should," she hummed languidly. "Don't want to get up though."

"I'll get it," came the immediate answer. Jay attempted to stand straight up, but lost momentum halfway through and plopped back down again. This brought a loud laugh from Jo and a small, less-than-manly giggle from him before he was up on his feet again and padding toward the small "kitchen", containing a sink, the aforementioned mini-fridge, and both an overhead and below cabinet for storing food. His head disappeared below the countertop as he bent down, and within moments he returned with the bucket, dropping it gently in Jo's lap. She grabbed his arm before he headed back to his seat.

"You gotta take some, too. You sure need it more'n me," she said with a shit-eating grin. The hand on his arm seemed to startle him for a moment, his eyes widening slightly before he registered exactly what she'd said. Jay's lips quirked in a smile.

"I'll be fine," he said with a small nod. "Don't throw up usually."

"No, no, night's juss startin' and you're falling over," she insisted, giving his arm a tug. "Gotta eat your chicken."

"Whatever, I just lost my balance th'once!" he replied with a laugh, settling himself on the floor at her feet anyway. Absently he started untying her boots as well. She watched him, slightly amused, as she nibbled on a leg.

"Just don't tie 'em together; might forget they're like that."

"Nah, m'not a bully," he mumbled, his fingers surprisingly dexterous as he finished each boot and pulled them off one by one. He left her socks however before reaching into the bucket, pulling out a thigh. "Not like you."

"Bully! When was I a bully!" she scoffed.

"Hello," came the slightly indignant reply as he turned to show his shoulder at her. The wound was cleaned now, but it was just barely scabbing over. Jay paused long enough to rip a bite out of the top part of the piece he'd taken. "Stabbed me in the  _shoulder._ "

"You  _told_  me to," she reminded him with a wave of her chicken leg. "I don't stab people unless they're not people. Or if they deserve it."

"Makes you a bully," he said around a mouthful. "Didn't have to cut me so  _deep_ , bully."

"Doesn't make me a bully. Bullies don't have reasons," she insisted, so adamant she'd all but forgotten the chicken in her hand. "I had a good reason. You were bein' a cocky bastard."

"Y'didn't say sorry," he replied, looking up at her and meeting her eyes. His pupils were dilated from drinking, but otherwise he kept a straight gaze.

"Neither'd you," she chided. Then, after a moment, "Sorry for what?"

"For wh- nevermind," he replied, dropping his eyes down as he took another bite out of his chicken thigh. It took all of three moments before he was haphazardly chucking the bones into the bottom of the bucket.

"Ugh, ugh, what'd you do? What did you just do?" she whined, sliding from the chair to the floor, less than graceful. "There's food in there, food in there people want to  _eat_ , you know."

"Oh shuddup, it's at the bottom, whatever," he laughed, amused at her reaction. He was so used to doing it that he'd forgotton some people didn't enjoy cross-contamination. "S'not like we haven't been 'sposed to worse tonight, you big baby."

"Yeah, yeah, you didn' have to throw your shirt away from cleanin' off piss and shit," she chided. A beat and her expression went from playful to somber, staring into the middle distance a moment before turning to her glass and studying that instead. Completely ignoring the sense of personal space, Jay moved his hand to her cheek and turned her face toward him again.

"Don't do that thing," he admonished gently. "No frownin' allowed in my room, y'hear? S'the rules."

She did smile, though quickly ducking her head again. "'Kay, yeah." Knocking back the last of her glass, she got to her feet, wobbling slightly. "I'm gonna start on the beer. Want one?"

"Almost done with my glass," he said, pointing with one hand and reaching back into the bucket for another piece of chicken with the other. "Bringin' it over would be nice, though."

She went for the fridge, grabbing a couple bottles and getting back to him without too much trouble. Handing one to him, she hesitated before sitting, grabbing the whiskey and bringing it over while she was at it. Sitting, she added a bit more to her glass, taking a savory sip before downing the rest. "'m very good with drink, y'know," she said, setting the glass aside and twisting open her beer. His expression remained amused as she returned back to the floor again. He'd only sat on the floor because there wasn't much room on the chair and she'd grabbed him, and his ego kept him from trying to stand again. That she willingly returned made him smile a little.

"Well, duh. Bartender or whatever." He paused long enough to drain the last of his glass before finally opening a beer. "'m surprised you didn't rec'nize me."

That got a surprised look. "You been to the Roadhouse?"

"Twice 'least," he replied, half-smiling. "Don't think you were payin' much attention to anybody else, though."

Contrary to the rules, she frowned. "When? Who's I payin' attention to instead?"

"Wheels," he said almost instantly, before flushing a shade darker than the liquor already made his skin. "S'ry. Chase."

Her frown darkened. "Don't. Ever," she said, sounding almost sober. "You don't even know him. You don't get to say shit like that."

Jay took a long pull from the bottle, dropping his gaze away from her face in embarrassment. "S'ry. Really. I... he's been kind of an asshole t'me, s'all. Didn't mean nothin' by it."

Her breath hitching in anger, she got to her feet, her head spinning. Instead of the chair, she went further away, sitting cross-legged on the bed, her back to him as she nursed her beer.

Jay sighed and took another pull from the beer to keep from frowning, regretting ever having opened his mouth outside of the emergency room. Why he felt compelled to invite Jo over to his room, he didn't know. Seeing her, though... she left a feeling in him like warmth that wasn't quite the alcohol, and he wasn't sure why.  _I probably make her feel pissed and like a loser,_  he thought absently, dropping his forgotten piece of chicken back into the bucket and standing on slightly wobbly legs to return the chicken to the mini-fridge.

Hunching lower, Jo tried not to think, not to breathe, but it was all rushing at her, as though the wave of alcohol had broken down walls she'd so carefully crafted that she didn't know what was behind them. The girl's eyes had been the start of it. Chase had looked like that when he first woke up. He sometimes looked like that now, when he didn't think anyone was watching. Just...empty. And if she tried to talk, tried to make things better, he brushed her off or snapped or just left the room. She was supposed to smile, act like nothing was different, but no matter what she tried to build around it, her life was a ghost of its former self.

Despite her fighting, her trying to calm herself, she felt the liquid heat in her eyes, the clenching in her chest. To her horror, a sob escaped her lips. Jay stood straight up at the sound of the noise, which all but cut through the buzz of TV chatter. In the process, he managed to bang the top of his head on the underside of the cabinet, and winced as the pain ricocheted inside his skull. He moved as quickly as his feet would allow over to where she sat, concern on his face. He hadn't meant to make her cry, and now he felt twice as horrible as he initially did. Carefully he dropped down to his knees in front of her, his hands resting gently on her arms.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Jo," he said earnestly, moving his thumbs in a half-conscious caress against her arms but otherwise unmoving. "Please don't. I- that was an asshole thing t'say, and I'm- drunk. 'n Stupid. Please don't cry."

Covering her face with her hand, his words only making it worse, she shook her head, unable to speak through the sobs. She wanted to run, to get away from him, stop someone who might as well be a stranger from seeing her crumble, but she could barely think of moving. At the risk of probably being punched or slapped, Jay moved to sit next to her, sliding his arms easily around her slim frame and pulling her in gently for an embrace. She curled into him, burying her face into his shirt, losing herself in it all for a good minute. As the tears finally slowed, she felt the embarrassment returning, desperately wanting to explain herself.

"I'm fucking useless," she managed, slightly muffled in his shirt. "I couldn't - I can't even take out a skinwalker when they're right in front of me."

"Shut up, you're not useless," Jay countered, still holding her and gently running a hand back and forth on her shoulders. "Out of practice maybe, but it's been three months. Huntin's like a bike; you never forget how. You're plenty good according; everybody's said as much."

 _But I couldn't save him. I was there and I didn't-_  She felt the lump of emotions swelling in her chest again but now she had enough presence of mind to hold it back, her breath merely coming out in a shudder. She didn't move away from Jay, though, not wanting him to see her. Hell, she wished she'd just run to the bathroom when she knew she couldn't hold back, but too late now. His arm around her felt nice, though. Jay remained silent when she didn't respond, his hand still moving gently against his shoulders as he breathed in time with her. His eyes fell closed as he listened to the sound of her breathing and the television noise. His touch made it easier to calm and soon even her breathing was normal. Her hand that had been gripping to his shirt relaxed, rubbing almost absentmindedly at the wet spot where her tears had settled.

"Sorry I made your shirt wet," she said quietly.

"S'fine," he murmured in answer, eyes still closed.

"Should go," she said, shifting away from him, not meeting his gaze.

"If you wanna," he replied, letting his arms fall loosely from around her when she pulled away. His eyes opened lazily, a disappointed look reflected in his eyes but not frowning.

She felt she should say something but didn't know what, so after a moment she uncurled from the bed to stand. Her legs wobbled a bit at first but she soon made it to the bathroom, closing the door behind her before going to the sink and splashing cold water on her face. She tried to think through the fuzz of alcohol and crying. The only conclusion she came to was she was too far from sober.  _Fucking car_.

Emerging from the bathroom feeling a great deal more human, albeit fuzzy, she stopped awkwardly in the doorway. "Can I stay a bit to get sober? Whiskey still not outta my system."

Jay looked up from where he'd focused on the wall just to the left of the bathroom door, eyes hazy as they re-focused on her. He nodded, leaning back on the bed again.

"Sure," he replied, still nodding.

She padded over to the armchair, curling up in it again. Uncomfortable with the silence, she said, "Sorry I went off like that. Dunno why. Think I had a bit too much."

"Or I'm just a dick," Jay said, moving his hand up through his hair before craning his neck to look at her.

That got a smile. "Maybe both."

Jay gave her a crooked smile in return, letting his head hit the pillow again when it became too painful to hold his neck up. The alcohol made him fuzzing and lethargic, and despite the awkwardness stretching in the space between the bed and the chair, he felt mostly content. Jo watched him through drooping eyelids, her head eventually resting on the back of the chair. She still didn't know much about him, and she couldn't believe he'd been to the Roadhouse and she hadn't seen him. Granted, the place had been busy since they rebuilt - apparently hunters had missed a hub away from home - and things had been busy with Chase. But he should at least seem a bit familiar.

"Why'd my mom call you?" she murmured, a bit quieter than she'd meant to be.

"Hmm?" he asked, moving an arm behind his head to pull a pillow beneath his neck in order to look at her without having to crane it.

"You're not the kinda person I'd expect my mom to call for babysitting," she said louder, a smile pulling at her lips. "Why'd she call you?"

"Uh, I live in Aurora?" he answered, brows raising slightly. "I'm closest, I guess."

She shook her head with an inner laugh, her cheek resting against the chair back. "Can't believe she knows you an' I don't. I'm supposed to know the young guys, 'n she knows the old farts."

That brought a snort of laughter. "Hey, your mom's not  _that_  old." At the risk of sounding like a pervert, he quickly rephrased himself: "I mean, it's not- I'm 30. How old didja think I was?"

"I'unno, I was figuring 28. But 30, damn, you're an old fart, too," she said, her grin wide.

"Now who's the dick!" Jay countered, reaching for a pen from the side table and flicking it at her.

She swatted it away with a giggle, squirming to a more comfortable position. "Just stating facts. Hit three decades and your life is all downhill from there."

"30 is the new 25, sweetheart," he said, squinting at her. "And I ain't planning on kicking the bucket any time soon. So there."

"An' when you're 40, that's the new 30, right?" she teased. "That the line you're gonna use when you try bangin' coeds?"

"Tch. Like hell I'm gonna go try knockin' elbows with a college girl. I may be 25, but I'm hideous," he replied, brows arched at her.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. I mean, that's the reason I took you for a skinwalker, y'know," she said, unable to keep the laughter from her voice.

"Bully," Jay muttered, giving a pout as he found a coaster inside a drawer and frisbee'ing that at her as well.

This one she caught, tucking it in her lap with a laugh. "You're gonna run out of things eventually, and then I'm gonna have all the ammo."

"Then I'll just have to come over there," he replied, pulling a face at her. He wished suddenly that he'd remembered to bring his beer over as well; she might've been on her way to sober, but he didn't want to be.

She gave a snort. "You're lookin' pretty glued to that bed, Skip."

"Maybe that's what I  _want_  you to think," he replied, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, think I'll take my chances there," she said, smiling as she watched him. He really wasn't unpleasant to look at. The sensation of her watching him was enough to make his skin crawl, but not in an outright unpleasant way; more like he wanted to squirm, or whine a little at her. Or maybe get up like he said and...  _Well, if that isn't the alcohol talking_ , he thought, chuckling out loud.

"What's so funny?" she said, her voice amused and a bit tired.

"Nothin'," he replied, opening his eyes again to look over at her. "You got all your stuff with you, or is some of it at your hotel?"

She knit her brow slightly but was really too tired to be perplexed. "With me. Pretty sure, at least."

"You can take the bed and I'll take the chair, if you don't wanna have to go far."

She gave a snort even as she closed her eyes. "You're not sleepin' inna chair. I'll be fine inna few."

"Whatever, you're about to drop. I can hear it," he countered.

"Jussa quick nap," she insisted. "'Nuff to get me goin'."

"Fine," he replied, pushing himself up on his elbows before fully sitting up, his legs coming around to land flatfooted on the floor.

The noise made her open her eyes. "You go'n sleep. I can let myself out."

"'Course you will," he replied, standing and moving over to where she was, curled up at strange angles in the chair. He patted her knee. "But you're not sleepin' like that."

"S'fine. Bed won' be much better," she said, closing her eyes again. Jay huffed a breath through his nose before leaning down and slipping an arm around her back, the other hooking beneath her legs in order to lift her.

Just as he started to lift, she took a sharp breath, her eyes snapping open and body trying to lean away from him. " _Shoulder_ ," she blurted.

"Exactly," he replied, ignoring her flinch as he lifted her. He hardly appeared affected by her weight, lifting her as if she were nothing more than a child and tucking her against his chest. He was infinitely gentle, which was a surprise given the fact that his own shoulder was still injured from her cutting him earlier that evening.

Her heart sped up, tiredness melting away, and not just because of the sudden twinge in her shoulder. She could feel the muscles in his arms shifting, his chest warm against her. It felt nice, almost too nice to trust. "I'm not- I can walk, you don't have to-"

"Already have, so shut up already," he replied, his voice rumbling in his chest. He took the five wide steps needed to get to the bed before lowering her to it. As he pulled away she could see the conflict present in his expression for just a moment before it was gone again, turning back to get his forgotten beer. Feeling uncomfortable on a completely different level than before, Jo decided to ignore it, trying to rotate her shoulder a little. Definitely more tender than it had been; apparently the whiskey had been helping more than she realized.

"Think I'm okay to drive now, actually," she said, focused on her shoulder. "I should leave you to get some sleep."

"If you wanna," Jay said again, his back to her as he lifted the beer up to his lips to take a sip.

"Should."  _Specially since I kind of don't want to_. She got to her feet, going around the room to try to find where she'd left her keys.

"You keep sayin' that," he replied, looking over his shoulder at her and smiling slightly. "Your jacket's in the closet."

"Right. Thanks," she said, feeling her face go a bit red. She got it out, double-checking that the keys were still in the pocket before she slid it on. Jay turned in order to watch her better, the smile still there but his eyes unreadable.

"You goin' back to the roadhouse t'morrow?"

"Yeah. If my mom's freakin' out enough to call you, shouldn't make her wait too long. 'Sides, gotta bone to pick with her," she added with a roll of her eyes.

Jay took a pull from the bottle, silent for a moment before giving a nod. "Drive safe, then."

"Yeah, you too. I mean, tomorrow," she said awkwardly, headed for the door. Biting her lip, she stopped to look at him directly. "Thanks for the help. Don't know how things would've gone down without you."

Jay smiled, making a vague gesture with his hand. "Glad to help. See you 'round."

Her insides sunk a little at what felt like a brush-off. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, or even wanted from him, but that wasn't it. "Yeah, see ya," she said, opening the door and not looking back. Once she was out the door, Jay let his face fall and sighed quietly. Wordlessly he went about putting wards and protection around the door, staring at his hands as he worked and wishing that she'd stayed. A small part of him had hoped, somewhere beneath the realization that she was much too good for him and completely unattainable, that he'd at least have the chance of curling against her as he slept. When the wards were finished he went back to where he'd left his beer, glancing only a moment at his cellphone before flipping off the lights and heading toward the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

It was pretty early for regular customers at the roadhouse, Ellen reflected as she set up the small plates of food for the overnight guests. Nothing fancy, mind; most of them were hung over and had no interest in eating, so it mostly consisted of buttered toast, a hard-boiled egg, and whatever cheap fruit they'd gotten in bulk that week (honeydew, currently). The large tavern section of the building seemed almost too empty, save for the man currently wiping down the tables. The chairs were lined up on the far wall to give him room to get around, but within the next four hours there would be liveliness again, pool playing and music pouring out of the speakers they'd hooked up to the walls.

Even though they'd been open for almost eight months now, Ellen still had a hard time falling back into the swing of the old work. Not when she knew there was a war going on just outside the door, and her beloved old building nothing but ashes on the interstate far away from them. She sighed as she finished prepping up the last plate, stocking them on the rickety old cart they'd acquired in order to drop them off at all the occupied rooms.

"Keep an eye on the door, would you, Chase?"

"Sure thing," he called back, wheeling over to work on the last table. The fading squeak of the cart wheels as it went down the hall was almost comforting. The rhythm of the roadhouse was steady, varied in the details but unchanging as a whole. He woke up at the same time (too goddamn early), took on the same chores (anything that didn't need reaching higher than five feet), and saw, if not the same people, the same type of people. Day in, day out, not much changed.

God, he wished he could have gone with Jo.

His expression just short of a scowl, Chase finished up, wheeling back to the bar to set the rag where it would be easy to get if needed. Not that it would be for a while; people generally didn't start spilling their drinks until after noon. Headed for the kitchen to grab his own plate of food, he was stopped by the opening of the door.

"Hey, can I-" He stopped in the midst of turning around, his face breaking into a smile. "Now that's a sight almost worth being up at nine in the morning."

Looking a bit tired but returning the smile, Jo didn't say anything back, just walking over and leaning down to take his mouth in a deep kiss. Chase's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he became more responsive, his hands finally sliding up to her shoulders as he leaned forward in his chair for better leverage. In an instant whatever frustrations he had were gone, replaced only with Jo. However, after a moment he found a prick of concern rise in his mind, and he broke the kiss.

"You all right?"

She smirked, her thumb rubbing his cheek. "Little bruised, but I'm a big girl, I can live with it."

"Well, then," Chase said with an easier grin, leaning in to kiss her again. He was interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing.

Pulling back, Jo looked up to find Ellen. Her jaw clenched slightly, but she'd already decided this was a conversation (okay, probably argument) she didn't want to have in front of Chase.

"See?" she said, straightening up. "Back, safe and sound."

Ellen knew by the wording that no doubt her daughter had run into Jay, and she found herself immediately tensing up in worry. Chase, looking between the two of them, found himself frowning.

"I'm gonna go eat. Try not to kill each other until I get back," he said, already wheeling around toward the little kitchen.

Jo waited until the door had closed behind him before she started. "I can't believe you," she snapped, turning on her heel and going to start putting the chairs back at their tables.

"Well, obviously he had reason enough to step in," Ellen shot back, arms folding stiffly across her chest as she watched Jo take her aggressions out on the chairs. "Only now I'm going to have to give him a talkin' too as well for not callin' me to tell me somethin' was wrong."

Shoving a chair hard into a table, Jo straightened to stare her down. "He didn't step in, Mom," she said, her voice rising. "I caught him following me and nearly took his head off thinking he was the skinwalker. Sound like I need a babysitter now?"

Ellen's hard expression broke at Jo's words, concern knitting her brow instead as she dropped her arms to her side and started toward the row of chairs furthest from Jo. "You shouldn't go huntin' by yourself. I know you've done a few now, but that don't mean you should. 'Specially now, of all times."

"Then when?" she said sharply, striding over. "When the war comes to us? When the whole world's so swarmed with monsters even we can't keep them out? 'Cause right about now is the worst time for hunters to stop hunting!"

Ellen turned, straightening as tall as her 5'4" allowed and glaring at her daughter's tone. "I'm damn well aware of that, Joanna Beth. But that don't mean going out there by your damn self acting like you're your daddy, d'you hear me?"

"Goin' alone's not what got Dad killed!"

"You think he didn't come home half-dead once or twice, child!" Ellen shouted, coming close enough that she was mere inches away from screaming straight in Jo's face.

"And he kept going out!" Jo snapped back, not backing down. "I know the risks, know 'em just as bad as you do, but difference is I'm not gonna stick my head in the sand and hope for the best!"

Ellen's face went crimson, her whole body shaking with rage as she took a step forward. "Don't you DARE-!"

"That's enough!" Chase said sharply, suddenly within their peripheral vision. "Both of you! For chrissakes, nothing happened! Jo, stop being high'n mighty, and Ellen, Jesus, Jo is fully damn capable of taking care of herself! Do not make me start breaking kneecaps in here!"

While part of her was grateful he'd come in to break things up, another part of Jo wished he'd butt the hell out. She reacted with a compromise. "I'm gonna unpack my stuff," she said tensely, turning to go out the front door and to her car.

"We are not done with this conversation, young lady!" Ellen called after her sharply, turning hard on her heels and heading off to the store room to bring up a case of beer. Chase looked in either direction, frowning severely before following after Jo. He found her digging through her trunk, bag already in hand but clearly deciding now was a moment to take her time before going back in. She didn't look up as he came over, his wheels crunching over the gravelly dirt drive.

"This isn't just about your mom, is it?" he asked evenly, looking up at her with a frown. "You guys've had this argument before, but not this loudly. Not in a while. What's going on?"

"It's shit between her and me," she said, pulling out a few fast food bags before shutting the trunk door. "Don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it," he pressed. "Y'might not agree, but you know she worries sick about you all the time, Jo. You can't tell her not to do that. I was worried, too," he added, his voice a touch softer at the last statement.

She shook her head, though her whole body relaxed a little. "I don't mind the worrying," she said, her voice less tense. "I get that. She just... She doesn't know there's a line. Most people recognize I'm not a little girl any more."

"Yeah well, she ain't most people; she's your mom," he replied, rolling forward just enough to bump his foot into her ankle. "You forget that."

She rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "If only she'd forget it sometimes." She headed for the garbage cans outside the place, walking slow to wait up for him. "It was easier between us when we weren't calling the same place home. What she didn't know, she didn't worry 'bout."

"'Course she did," Chase countered, shaking his head at her and smiling. "You just didn't have t'see it. Now you're just being bratty. Y'gonna storm up into your room and write emo poetry next?"

Snorting, she tossed the food bags into the trash. "Don't gimme ideas; I emo with the best of them, boy."

"I think if we have a emo-off, I'd win," he said with a half-smile. "Now a dance-off, that's another story."

Her smile grew a little more brittle, though she tossed her bag on his lap. "Yeah, yeah, make yourself useful, would ya."

"Bossyface," Chase quipped, turning slightly with one arm before using both arms to put an added burst of momentum on his forward rolling.

Following a little behind, Jo wished he hadn't mocked going to her room, because she could use a little recoup time. Suck it up, Harvelle. As they got inside, she went behind the bar, grabbing the extra apron.

"Oh no you don't," Chase said, half-turning to look at her. "You stink; you're taking a shower and unpacking. Ellen'll be back up in a minute."

She raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, sweetie, I'll do that," she said wryly, tossing the apron at his face before snagging the bag from his lap. Chase watched as she haughtily started walking off down the hall toward their bedroom, shaking his head a little and tutting at her before zooming after her. The floor provided much better fluidity, and within a few moments he was behind her and bumping squarely into the back of her legs, one arm coming out to grab her around the waist and pull her backward. She gave a shocked squeal as she fell back onto his lap, her hands going out to his armrests.

Looking back at him with a huff she said, "What, I thought you told me to leave?"

"Did I say alone?" he countered in a playful challenge, giving her thigh a swat before letting her go long enough to start steering them onward again. She could never get used to how strong his arms were now. "Smartalick."

She rolled her eyes but leaned back, turning her head to look up at him. It wasn't the world's most comfortable position, but it worked. Bringing a hand up to trace the underside of his jaw, she said, "I missed you."

"Missed you more," he replied, nosing her cheek lightly. They were at the door in moments, and his chest was moving with labored breath by the time they were through it. She could feel him straining so she got up, tossing the bag on the bed.

"So," she said, arching an eyebrow at him, "shower first, you said?"

He gave her a wide smile. "If you wanted to follow listed order, sure."

Smiling back, she slid around him to close the door. "Good," she said, walking back and pulling her shirt off without preamble. "'Cause I'm feeling pretty dirty."

Chase watched eagerly, his eyes stuck on her breasts as he moved to pull off his own shirt. While being in the chair was definitely not sexy in the least, nor was the results of being paralyzed, he never got tired of looking at her or touching her.

Jo cursed under her breath as she quickly side-stepped a suddenly pushed back chair, managing to only spill a dribble from one of the pitchers on her tray. It figured. Always when a group of what she liked to think of 'old boys' club' hunters met up at the roadhouse, they congregated in the corner furthest from the bar and ordered almost more pitchers than she could carry. Made her damn happy this wasn't a service-with-a-smile joint because on a night as busy as this one, she'd be lucky to manage service-without-a-stabbing.

"Here y'are, boys," she said, managing to unload the tray without any casualties before she hurried back to the bar, hoping no one would try throwing an order at her on the way.

"We're gonna need another keg from the back, I think," Ellen said once she was within earshot, setting up a line of shots to fill. "Y'wanna get it, or finish this order?"

"Oh, I'll get it," she said quickly, already headed for the back. "God knows, five seconds alone with a keg sounds just about right, right now."

"Don't you get lost back there," Ellen warned, half-smiling. She always seemed to be happiest when she was in the thick of things like this. "We're too busy with just me."

"Yeah, yeah," Jo answered with a half wave as she went through the door. Ellen finished the line of shots, placing them around a small dish of limes and a salt shaker before loading them up on one arm. The other grabbed the pitcher she'd already pre-poured, coming around the side of the bar and heading toward the table she'd been prepping for.

"Looks like you could use a hand there, ma'am," came a voice just behind her.

"Figures the one time everyone comes swarming in, it's 'cause a game's on," Ellen said with a laugh. "Grab a rag and hit up the three tables nearest the door, Janus."

He headed back behind the bar without a question, leaning back slightly to look under it in hopes of finding wherever they stashed the rags. The door behind him swung open.

"Think we're gonna need to order more light after this, though I don't know who the hell's-Oh." Jo jumped slightly, staring at him a moment before swinging the keg from her shoulder. It took a bit more staring before any words would come. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"That the only way you know how to greet anybody?" Jay said with a smirk, finishing off the last table and stacking the glasses up. He started gathering the stacks of glasses he'd left on the edge of every newly-cleaned table, tucking them into the crook of his arm and bringing the lot of them back to the bar for her.

If finding Jay there instead of her mom wasn't weird enough, finding him working like a bartender was the Twilight Zone cherry on the cake. "You don't have to- I got that, you know."

"Do you?" he quipped, grinning now. He put them all on the edge of the bar before sitting, bringing his elbows up to rest his chin in them. "I take it you're surprised to see me?"

She gave a breath of a laugh, gathering up the glasses in a bin to take back to the kitchen. "Damn, brawn and brains? Too bad you fell short on the looks or you'd be a goddamned triple threat."

"There's a blind girl out there somewhere for me," Jay laughed. "Can I get a Jack and Coke?"

Ellen appeared just behind Jo after a moment, already setting up another order. "Chase! We're gonna need another round of wings!"

"Already workin' on it!" Chase shouted back from the kitchen.

Pulling out a clean glass, Jo had the Jack and coke ready in a blink, adding an extra splash of Jack before handing it over. "That one's on the house," she told him before the next customer caught her eye.

Jay flashed a winning smile at that, using the straw to stir it up a bit before pulling it out altogether and taking three long chugs from it. His eyes followed Jo as she worked, mildly interested and raising an appreciative brow when she leaned up to get a bottle from overhead. Finishing up the gin and tonic and handing over the change, Jo shot Jay a playful look.

"When Mom asked you to watch me, I don't think my ass was part of that."

"I'm off duty," Jay retorted, giving her a lecherous wink.

She gave a snort. "Yeah, that one might but on the house, but the next will cost you double," she teased, flicking his glass.

"Not fair," he said with a mocking pout. "I didn't do nothin' anyone else wouldn't do if presented with the same view. Hell, a blind man would be lookin'."

"Oh, there's plenty that wouldn't. They learned that the hard way," she quipped before she was flagged over with an order for two beers. Jay continued to watch her, sipping his drink idly until Ellen came around again.

"So to what do we owe the pleasure?" Ellen asked, leaning on the bar a bit. Jay gave a shoulder shrug, still drinking before he finally answered her.

"On my way through. I got a call from a friend in Albuquerque 'bout a poltergeist followin' 'round an old hearse. Should be fun, yeah?"

"Yeah, sounds like a whole lotta fun," Ellen said dryly. "You aiming for a place for the night?"

"Not sure your girl wants me here," he said with a grin. "But if you're offerin', I can pay cash."

"Jo could stand not gettin' what she wants a bit more often," Ellen said, glancing over at her daughter. "We got rooms, but if you want one, got a feelin' they'll go quick with this large a crowd."

Even before she was finished, Jay started fishing the cash out. "Don't worry much 'bout these old farts," he said, borrowing a phrase from Ellen's daughter. "You just got a TV and an endless amount of cheap beer. Most of 'em'll be gone before you close."

"Payin' cash, it'll be forty for the night, includin' breakfast," she said, holding up a finger. "Be right back; old farts are calling for me." Jay let out a laugh, watching her head off before his eyes sought out Jo again. To his surprise, he found her looking right at him. Instead of looking away, she walked back over to him, her eyes darting in the direction Ellen had gone.

"You know I was jokin' about paying double, right?" she said, nodding at the cash in his hand.

"Oh! No, I, uh, I'm stayin' the night. I've already been drivin' most of the day," he said, laughing.

"Oh, right. Makes sense," she said, though uncertainty flashed in her eyes.

"Hey, Jo?" Chase rolled out of the kitchen, sleeves rolled up and apron in his lap. "Any more food orders going out? I'm kinda backing up in there."

Turning sharply, Jo smiled. "Not yet, but I'll go make the 'rounds soon. Don't think we have to worry about people losin' their appetites just yet." Jay followed her gaze, catching sight of Chase and giving a friendly smile and a nod. Chase raised a perplexed brow but nodded back, his eyes going back to Jo.

"Sure thing. Anything I can help with out here?" he asked. Ellen came back around the counter just as Chase had spoke, and for a moment she looked between the three of them. A knowing expression passed in her eyes.

"Did you need help, Chase? I can handle bar and Jo can help you, if you want."

"Naw, Ellen, I got it," he said, his jaw tightening around his smile. Using one hand to turn around and head back to the kitchen, he added, "Just throw me orders as you get 'em."

Jo shot her mom a look but, good as her word, she headed out to the tables to see if anyone wanted some food. Jay looked to watch Chase go, then Jo, and shook his head, going back to his drink without a word. Ellen simply laughed.

"I'll take that, thanks," she said, holding her hand out for the $40 still clenched in Jay's free hand.

By the time the game was over, the roadhouse started to empty. Jay lingered, caught in a game of pool with one of the last regulars, though neither of them bothered adding money into it. It was fun, and it'd been a while since he'd had a good game. While some hunters were prone to obsession when it came to a hunt, Jay saw things straightforward: yeah, the poltergeist was hurting people, and yeah, that was a big deal, but he knew there were at least thirty hearses in the area of Albuquerque his friend lived in alone. It was going to take time, and the other man was already researching to find a connection between the poltergeist and the hearse. He'd be down by midday tomorrow, if he got up early enough.

Besides, he thought, glancing back to where Jo was cleaning the tables before looking back at the pool table again. It's nice to see her.

Jo was grateful for the quiet and relative calm that had finally settled on the place again. Compared to jumping back and forth between tables, bar, and kitchen, wiping off the tables (and some chairs from the overactive drinkers) was practically euphoric.

"Hey there," Chase said, wheeling over with a bin on his lap. "Any more glasses on this side?"

"Nope, all cleared up from before," she said, bending to get a chair seat.

"I'll get these in the washer then." He gave her ass a swat before wheeling around towards the kitchen. Jay had turned back just in time to see the exchange and found himself frowning. It took his pool partner two times calling his name before he was brought back attention. He sunk a ball in the middle left pocket, left with nothing but the 8. As he concentrated on lining up the shot, he suddenly felt a light blow to the inside of his knee, making it buckle.

"Don't choke," Jo teased, leaning against the table beside him.

"I'll throw the chalk at you; I don't care if you own the place," Jay said with a snort, making the other pool player laugh.

"Just hit the ball, Jay."

"You can't rush perfection, Ronnie," Jay countered, lining up the shot once more before hitting the cueball with an audible clack! The shot was smooth and true, the 8-ball sinking in the far right corner pocket.

"Oh, you got hosed, Ronnie," Jo laughed, looking at the losing hunter. "Think you boys can finish your drinks off when I can get the washer going?"

"Yeah, just a sec," Jay said, grabbing up his second Jack and Coke of the evening and downing it before passing her the glass. Ronnie followed the suit, letting out an almighty burp when he was finished.

"Last time I take you out anywhere," Jay said to Ronnie, rolling his eyes and laughing.

"Yeah, we're runnin' a high class establishment here, so keep your body functions to yourself," Jo teased, taking the glasses from them and heading to the kitchen.

"Good game, man," Jay said, grabbing the man's hand and shaking it firmly. Ronnie grinned back.

"See you 'round, Jay. G'luck."

"Thanks."

In the kitchen, Ellen was cleaning off the stovetop while Chase finished filling the washer. "This is the last of it," Jo said, handing him the glasses. "I can tackle that, Mom."

"Nah, I've got it. M'not as good with a broom and mop anymore as I used to be," Ellen said, looking over her shoulder at Jo.

"You always were good at subtle hints," she teased, grabbing the broom, dustpan, and garbage bag on her way out.

Ronnie was no where to be seen when she got out; Jay was still at the pool table, apparently having set up another game since he was taking aim. She headed for the corner farthest from bar, starting by sweeping up the layer of peanut shells from the beer-happy group that had so recently vacated it. He looked up when she returned but was quick to return his focus back to the table, giving a stretch with the pool stick before lining it up and setting a break. The balls clacked loudly as they shot around the table, two hitting pockets almost immediately. He wasted no time, apparently working a speed game as he went to line up another shot. The noise of the game was a bit distracting, but worse because it highlighted the silence between them. Not like we gotta be talking all the time. Hardly know each other.

"A poltergeist in Albuquerque, huh?" she said, not turning away from her sweeping. "Long way to travel for something simple like that."

"He's a friend'a mine, back from high school," Jay replied, sinking another ball and lining up another shot. "S'bad for business when your drivers keep dyin'."

She looked up, half tempted to apologize to being glib but deciding it would just make it worse. "You're good to help your friend," she said awkwardly, concentrating on the floor again. Jay smiled, pausing from the speed game to look back at her.

"S'too bad you work at a bar; I'd be tempted to ask you if you wanted to go get a drink," he said, leaning his elbows back on the pool table.

That stopped her completely for a moment. Then she realized he must mean a friendly drink, not the date variety. "Workin' at a bar makes me the best kind of person to get a drink with. Booze is free. For me, anyway," she said, flashing him a quick smile.

"Well, not for me," he replied, chuckling. "Hey, you want a hand or something?"

"Gen'rally being a paying customer means you don't have to clean the floors," she said, kneeling to sweep a pile of dirt and peanut shells into the dustpan. "As much as I'd like to see it."

"Means one less thing for you to do, right?" he asked, looking around for a minute before spotting the mop bucket. "I'll mop."

She gave a laugh. "No, seriously, I got it. Not like you can mop the same time I'm sweeping anyway."

"When you get halfway, then," he said, pulling himself up to sit on the pool table. "This mean you guys're closing up for the night?"

"No, just cleaning things up for the vampires that come for the graveyard shift," she teased, her speed picking up a bit. Jay watched with interest, the game no longer interesting now. Though he did wish he had something to do with his hands. Ah well, he thought, smiling.

"I'll be sure to lock myself in my room with the garlic soon, then."

"No worries, each room comes with several garlic bundles. On the house," she said as she made her way to the pool table.

"Well that's a relief," he chuckled, rolling his eyes a little and swinging his feet idly.

Sweeping another bin-full into the trash bag, she bent over whacking his leg lightly with the broom handle before she started sweeping under the pool table. As she bent over, Jay chuckled before giving her a light kick in the pants.

"Hey!" she squawked, her hand quickly grabbing the table to keep from falling over.

"S'what you get, bully," Jay replied, laughing.

"Your legs were in the way, so that's what you get. And so much for being helpful," she huffed, finishing a half-assed sweep before straightening up.

"My momma told me if you wanted somethin', you gotta ask nicely," he replied, grinning as he brought his legs up and folded them underneath him. "S'called manners."

"Well my momma taught me five ways to kill a man without using a weapon," she said, giving him a wink before she swept on.

"Touché," he laughed. "Guess that's important when you're gorgeous."

She laughed but didn't look at him because she could feel her face getting warm. Her sweeping got quicker and a bit sloppier, but she realized she'd been taking an awfully long time of it already.

"You good to close things up, Jo?" came Ellen's voice as she walked through the kitchen door. "'Cause I'm beat. Breakfast might even be a bit late."

Jay winced a little, realizing that he'd kept her from getting done half as fast. She started it, he thought amicably, hopping down from the pool table and going for the mop bucket like he'd said he was going to.

"Yeah, Mom, sure thing," Jo said, her eyes darting to Jay. Damn man, told him I'd do it.

Ellen looked at Jay, too, then back to Jo. "Don't be too long now," she said, heading down the hall. "'Night, Janus."

"Night, Mrs. H," Jay countered after a faint grimace, swishing the ropes of the mop in the water before wringing it out and starting in the corner, his back to Jo as he worked in her direction.

Janus? Jo nearly laughed aloud, but didn't say anything. She wasn't sure that was the kinder option, but somehow letting him stew in uncertainty was appealing. She was just getting to the bar when the kitchen door creaked open.

"Damn, you're not done? Thought you must've gone to bed without me," Chase said before seeing Jay in the room, too.

"Naw, the floor was pretty messed up tonight," she said, noticing his glance. "Chase, not sure if you've met Jay. He's a friend of Mom's."

Recognition dawning on his face before the hint of distaste colored his voice: "Yeah, we've met."

Jay simply kept working, concentrating on the task. "Must be exhausted after all that cookin' tonight. Great wings, by the way. Better'n last time I was here."

A siren wouldn't have gotten Jo to react faster. "Hey, babe?" Babe? When the fuck did you ever call him 'babe'? To cover up, she cupped his cheek affectionately. "Why don't you go on and get ready for bed? I won't be too long."

Chase's expression darkened a little, the suspicion obvious in his eyes. "'Kay," he said stiffly, already backing up and turning with one arm. He wheeled past Jay toward the hall, though he never looked back once. Jo felt a twinge of guilt as he left, wondering why her first instinct hadn't been to tell Jay to go to bed. She went back to sweeping though, waiting a couple minutes after she heard the distant click of the door shutting.

"You wanna tell me why you're mocking my boyfriend?" she said at last, her voice tense.

"What?" Jay said defensively, turning back to look at her. "I was being polite!"

That got her to stop, turning to fix him with a glare. "Don't you go bullshitting me. That wasn't polite, that was insults in polite clothing."

"I told you before; he was a dick to me," Jay said, going back to the mopping again. "Won't matter what I say in the end."

Picking up her broom, she strode over to him, grabbing the mop handle. "It matters to me," she said stiffly. "Maybe you should get to bed."

She might've grabbed it, but his grip was stronger and he yanked it back easily. "Oh for chrissakes, we're nearly done."

She wanted to kick in his kneecap and take the mop from him but the saner part of her brain thought he had a point. Walking away from him with a scowl, she finished up the sweeping, tossing the last of it in the trash before she spoke again. "What'd you say to him to make him act like a dick?"

Jay gave a snort. "That's all him, sweetheart. I just came in and asked for a beer from Ellen."

"Yeah, you were a polite little boy and he attacked you with stale chicken wings?" she snapped. "If you're not going to be straight with me, then get out." Jay came up beside her with long, sweeping strokes of the mop, wringing it out one last time before he went to the past bit of floor.

"Trust me, if I knew what it was that pissed him off so much, I'd say I was sorry."

Her scowled deepened but she didn't question him this time. Over the last few months, Chase had been a bit short sometimes. Maybe he didn't have a good reason, and maybe he did, but ripping into Jay clearly wasn't going to get any answers. Instead, she went to the door, clicking home the locks and double checking no one had scuffed the demon's trap during the day. Then she went to the windows, repeating the sequence. Once Jay was finished, he stuck the mop back into the bucket and started to steer it toward the back, though he didn't cross over. Instead he went to the pool table, sticking the balls into each of the pockets. He stopped before heading down the hall, watching her silently with a guarded expression.

She paused at the last window, realizing she'd been tensing up as she went. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was go into that bedroom angry. It would only make an argument a certainty. But the way Chase had looked at him just then, it couldn't have been something trivial. Stop, stop, just concentrate on breathing. Calm down.

"I'm not trying to start shit, Jo," Jay said carefully, still standing by the pool table, though he thrust his hands in his pockets. "I just did what Ellen told me. And hell, maybe I said somethin' when I was drunk. I don't have any sort of damn filter between my brain and my mouth when I'm drunk. But if I did say somethin', I never meant it. Just sayin'."

Jo let out a long breath before finally opening her eyes and turning around. The anger was gone from her face, leaving her just looking tired. "Don't worry 'bout it. I'll see you in the morning."

No you won't, he thought in answer, giving her a vague half-smile as he headed toward the hallway ahead of her and up the stairs. She went over the last of the lock-up chores, emptying the mop bucket, counting up the register, and turning out the lights before she headed to bed herself. She was quiet as she opened the bedroom door, not sure if Chase had just fallen asleep without her.

Ellen was up at her usual hour, though quite reluctantly. She took the first cup from the hot pot for the coffee, drinking it black with two sugars as she got out the prepared fruit from the night before. Fruit, egg, toaster biscuit with cheese, coffee. Sometimes she wished that she could wake up to similar treatment. Upon coming back out to turn on the music, she found Jay already at the bar, having filled up a mug of coffee and drinking it. She arched her brows.

"Didn't expect to see you up so early."

"Gotta get out early, if I wanna get home before tomorrow," he said, both hands around the mug.

"You're not leavin' without something in your system; food shouldn't be much longer," she said, her expression leaving no room for argument. Jay bit back the urge to sigh, flashing her a smile.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, already planning to sneak out the door once her back was turned to get McDonald's on the way.

She raised an eyebrow at him but went back into the kitchen, knowing she couldn't leave the eggs too long. Jay quickly gulped down the coffee, wincing slightly at the burn on his tongue before grabbing up his jacket. He crossed over to the door and opened it as quietly as possible, careful of the bell as he shut it behind him. He stuck his hand into his pocket for the chain with his keys, giving them a deft tug. As he headed for his car, he looked up sharply at the sound of approaching footsteps. Coming down the drive, at a light jog, was Jo. She had on shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, her hair pulled into a ponytail and her face red and shiny from sweat. She slowed as she got closer, frowning slightly.

"Where are you going?" she said, a little breathless. The sight of her left him a little breathless, but he swallowed quickly to get his barrings.

"Early bird and all that shit," he said, giving her a crooked smile. "Hoping to beat traffic."

Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't mention that last night."

"Wasn't planning on it originally," he replied, brows arching slightly. "Why? Were you gonna be all sad without my saying g'bye?"

Her chest clenched at the last statement. Because of the way he said, condescending, like she was a little girl. Because she'd let herself breakdown in front of this man. Because it was true. Her expression hardening, she walked past him, heading for the door. She was barely a step away from him before his hand was on her shoulder to stop her. Before she had a chance to react, he embraced her. It was like hitting all the thoughts and emotions that had been rolling through her with a bucket of ice cold water, the only one left being, God, why does this have to happen while I'm sweaty?

Finally, her brain seemed to kick on again and she grabbed his sides, pushing back. "What are you doing?" she said, her voice more frustrated than anything else.

"Saying goodbye," he replied, grinning at her reaction. He could've sworn he heard her make this little noise in the back of her throat when he'd first hugged her. It gave him a wonderful little jolt, better than even the caffeine had. She just stared at him.

"From sneaking out to hugging? You really have no concept of a middle ground, do you?"

"Not really, no."

They were still uncomfortably close. Well, uncomfortable wasn't the word for it, which was the problem. Shaking her head, Jo just backed up. "Good-bye, Jay. Try to stay in one piece."

"No promises," Jay said with a grin, giving a little wave as he turned toward the car.

She vaguely returned the wave as she made it to the door, frowning slightly but only at herself. She could almost hear her mother's voice, if she asked her advice on things (which she'd rather die before doing): He's a nice guy, Jo, but your typical hunter. He won't stick around; love 'em and leave 'em. Know what you're gettin' into and if it's worth it. Biting her tongue, she went inside.


	3. Chapter 3

The whole street was lined with cars as Jo drove along, trying to find a spot to park. It was an act of futility, unless she wanted to follow the example of a clever few who realized front lawns were just wasted space. With a scowl, she parked one street over.

"I swear, if you're just doing this to get some U of O tail, I am gonna kick your ass," she said as she got out of the car, slamming the door. Jay laughed, feeling his ears heat up as he followed up behind her before matching her step. Impulsively, he grabbed her hand.

"I told you before; some guys might get off on Girls Gone Wild, but I'm not 'some guys'," he said. "Besides, like my work exactly leaves room for an honest date."

Her stomach jumped, and she wanted to remind him that they had a ways to walk before they had to put on their cover as a couple, but the words didn't come.

"Yeah, you just knew they'd kick your old ass out of the party unless you were with someone who looked the right age," she quipped instead.

"College isn't just for 20-somethings anymore, shorty," Jay countered with an eyeroll. To be fair, he did clean up rather nicely when he tried. He'd shaved and gotten a haircut, and exchanged the worn button-downs he'd came to be known for with a striped polo shirt in the hopes of at least coming  _close_  to frat boy appearances. It wasn't too far off; he could've walked off the set of Dawson's Creek or whatever, and she never would've known.

"Yeah, but pretty sure the parties are," she teased as they got closer. From the looks of things, the party had spread from the original house to its neighbors as well. She gave a snort. "You'd think half a dozen people disappearing from these kind of things would make them think twice before throwing the next kegger."

"A few people going missing isn't enough to stop a party, Jojo," Jay replied, laughing. The music was becoming louder as they approached, and while it wasn't his typical fare, it wasn't half bad.

"Fair enough,  _Janus_ ," she said with a snort. As they got closer, though, her hand tightened in his. She might talk about him being out of place but going to this kind of party felt about as familiar as trying to breathe underwater. "So, any advice on spotting 'em that you've been holding back on?"

"I think they might be Latino. Maybe," he replied, holding back the urge to swat her. They had to look believable, and abuse wasn't quite the way he wanted to go. The incubus and succubus would be attracted to heavily sexually charged couples. Could they pull that off?  _Maybe this is a bad idea._

"Damn, must stand out like a sore thumb in Oklahoma. Not exactly the brightest demons." As they headed through the door, Jo pressed to his side, holding his arm with her other hand. It might have been construed as a loving gesture if she could manage a smile. The music was so loud she could feel it in her chest, and about a billion people or more were crowded into the living room, all trying to talk over each other. He could feel the tenseness in her, and with surprising ease he leaned in and brushed his lips against the spot of skin just behind her ear.

"Relax. They won't come inches near us if you look like you want to kill everyone within a ten foot proximity."

The touch was unexpected and tender and sent a not-unpleasant quiver through her body. "Yeah," she breathed, her grip on him relaxing. "Maybe we should grab a couple of beers."

"Kitchen, then," he said, giving her a little turn under his arm before pulling her in that direction.

She forced a giggle at the turn, trying to let the mood of the place seep into her, but she was grateful when they got to the beer. It would help. Downing half the cup at once, Jo leaned into Jay, tracing his chest through his shirt. "Whaddo you want to do now, baby?"

It took all of his strength not to look genuinely shocked at both the gesture and the endearment, a rushing sensation spreading in either direction from just below his naval. Forcing his mind to think of it as a competition of who was the better actor rather than the nearness of her, Jay snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close enough that their noses touched. "Y'mean besides you?"

 _Seriously?_  Aloud, she giggled. "C'mon," she said, twisting out of his grip to grab his wrist, leading back to the living room. "Let's dance."

 _Dancing? Bah,_  Jay thought instantly, letting her pull him along and drinking the beer as they moved. His eyes scouted around briefly until she turned around and met his eyes, to which he simply flashed her a grin and settled his hands on her waist. A quick glance at another couple proved he wasn't far off from the idea of the man's role in dancing. Grinding did look promising, however.

Shifting her hips with the beat, Jo slid her free hand behind his neck, her other arm curling around her beer to hold it protectively against her chest. Her eyes slid past him, watching over his shoulders, looking for the suspected incubus/succubus couple or anyone who might be under their influence. Though frankly, the way most people were dancing, she wondered if she'd be able to tell the difference.

They cycled through three more songs before Jay finally caught the sight of a potential suspect over Jo's shoulder; a startlingly beautiful light-skinned Latina, her curly hair pulled back with a decorative scarf tied around her forehead, silver jewelry glinting from her neck and wrists. Just the sight of her made him stumble a little, but he forced himself to look away from her when their eyes met. Knowing that this might be the only chance to bring her their way, he leaned in and kissed Jo thoroughly on the mouth, sliding his hand down along the curve of her ass. Jo gasped as his mouth met hers, her eyes flying wide.  _The-the demons. Must've seen something._  And so easily her eyes fell closed, her mouth working hungrily with his. The whole room seemed to spin in a heady heat as her hand twisted in his hair, her hips pressing eagerly to his. Jo felt a set of hands covering her shoulders that were too slender to be Jay's, and Jay broke the kiss at the sudden sensation of being sandwiched between two lithe bodies. Not one to argue the situation, he looked back over his shoulder briefly to catch the gaze of the girl who had joined their 'dancing', her body undulating along with the music and her breasts pressing faintly against his back. Jo's eyes met the girl's, and even she felt the deep pull of attraction. Apparently Jay knew what he was talking about when he said he shouldn't go in alone. Pulling her eyes away, Jo kept up the dance through the song, her hand sliding along Jay's hip and around to his pocket to check the exorcism kit was safe and sound before coming up to gently explore the other woman's arm. Part of her wondered if she should let the succubus drive the situation, but it was better to do it now, before her partner came along. Besides, who knew what was going on in Jay's head.

Her hand gently taking the succubus' wrist, Jo brought it to lips, pressing a long kiss to the pulse. Her eyes traveled over Jay to the woman's. "Should we go somewhere more private?" she said, low and needy.

Jay had been watching in half-lidded appreciation, his erection becoming more and more apparent the longer they moved. The moment Jo opened her mouth however, only one driving urge moved him. The girl found each of their hands with little difficulty, tugging the two of them after her and toward the stairs leading toward the second floor. Jo's head felt clearer as they moved above the sweaty noise of the room, hoping the same was true for Jay. Part of him clearly wasn't acting. Her free hand slid into his pocket as they went, grabbing the chalk.

The room the girl pulled them into was sparse, just a twin bed, desk, chest of drawers, and heavy metal posters on the wall. Of course, they weren't really there for decor, a point the girl punctuated by pulling Jay into a heady kiss the moment Jo closed the door. Jo went for an open space of floor to take advantage of the distraction. As the two continued to neck thoroughly, the girl slowly walking Jay backward toward the bed, another person slipped into the room, locking the door once they were inside easily. While the girl had definitely been Latina, the boy was clearly white bread American. Gorgeous as all hell, but very white bread American.

Not to mention that he walked right through the trap in order to take his jacket off before focusing his gaze on Jo. "Hey there, pretty girl."

The shock at him walking through the trap like it wasn't even there melted away when he met his eyes, warmth rushing to her abdomen. She tore her gaze away, stumbling back into the wall. "What the hell are you?" she gasped.

"That's a weird question," the boy replied, already heading back toward her. Jay and the other girl separated when she heard the voice, and the girl smiled.

"Sorry. That's Devon, and I'm Olivia," she said in a breathless voice. Jay moved to look toward them, his eyes clouded with lust but still aware, one hand traveling up beneath Olivia's shirt while the other skimmed up her arm. His eyes met Jo's briefly, and his brow knit faintly.

"I was hoping you weren't gonna start without me," Devon said to Olivia, though his eye's never left Jo's. "Good to see your taste is still impeccable."

 _Human. They're just human_ , Jo thought, her breath slowing as she looked Devon over. Granted, he was such an attractive human that he managed to wear a fedora and not look like a douche, but - She tore her gaze away, her eyes falling on Jay. He'd called her for backup; he'd trusted her. She had to get him out of there.

"We have to go," she breathed, sliding past Devon to the bed. She grabbed Jay's arm, pulling him to his feet.

"We just got here," Jay said, sounding almost drunk. Olivia put on a pout.

"Don't go yet; we haven't even started."

Her grip was tight on Jay's arm as she pulled him for the door, trying to keep an eye on Devon without actually looking at him. "Jay, I want to go," she said firmly, her free hand shifting the back of her shirt so she could grab her knife's handle.

Olivia and Devon exchanged looks before the girl nodded, looking toward Jo. "Maybe we'll see you around?"

Jay made a noise of protest, but without Olivia touching him or looking directly at him, he seemed more pliable than previously.

"Yeah, sure," Jo said tensely, fumbling with the door handle a bit before she found the lock, pulling Jay through with her before she slammed the door shut. It felt wrong running away, but staying when they had no idea what they were dealing with was suicide. Jay's eyes were stuck on the door as she dragged him off, reluctant until they'd gotten to the bottom of the stairs, and then quickly pulling out of her touch. He walked quickly out through the main door and across the lawn toward the car they'd came down in, silent but eager to get away. Relief washed over Jo as she kept stride with him, silent until they got to the car.

"Those weren't demons," she said, not sure how much he'd seen.

"Yeah, figured that," he said, his hands shaking a little as he unlocked the door. They would need to go back to the hotel and research that. After he'd had a good jerk in the shower, of course.

She glanced at him as she got in, a little concerned. "Sorry I let it go on like that," she said after the car started. The car was quickly jetting down the street, Jay's hands tight on the wheel.

"Don't worry about it," he said, squirming slightly in the seat. The erection was  _not going away_ , and that was problematic.

Deciding to leave it at that, Jo kept her eyes straight ahead. "We gotta figure this out tonight; they could be after anoth- a couple right now."

Jay chewed on his lower lip viciously, both at the statement and the nearly-uttered comment beneath it. His mind buzzed with words needing to be said and moments the two-hour window had created, but right now he needed to drive. Fortunately they were at the hotel within ten minutes, and Jay was out the door only moments after pulling the keys out of the ignition, pushing through the double doors and taking the stairs two at a time. Jo followed, albeit slower, locking the car doors manually. He was in the bathroom by the time she got in the room, staying only long enough to grab her laptop so she could research out in the hall; she figured the more space she gave him right then, the less awkward things would be later.

In about twenty minutes Jay poked his head out the door, looking freshly scrubbed and showered. The haircut and shave still made him look closer to 25 than 30, but the sight of him back in his regular clothes was comforting. Though he appeared just as antsy as previously.

"Sorry. Come back in."

"No problem," she said, closing the laptop and getting up with a smile. Figuring a joke might help calm him, she added, "Hell, they practically gave me a boner and I hardly touched them."

Jay gave a strangled sort of laugh, quick to turn his back to her and retreating behind the little table just beneath the window. "I think maybe their body fluid might contain something."

"I wouldn't be surprised," she said, opening the laptop and setting it on the table for him to see. "I think I might know what they are. There was this Brazilian legend attached to stuff on incubi and succubi, but not about demons. Dolphins."

"Oh,  _awesome_ ," Jay muttered, squirming again as his eyes moved across the screen. "The only other animal in the kingdom as crazy-go-nuts in the sack as humans. Fucking fuck."

Jo frowned. "You alright?"

"Not exactly," he replied, looking up at her. She could see the expression in his eyes (which were still hugely entrancing, one dark and one light); guarded, a little nervous, but highly aroused. He tried to smile. "I, ah..."

The way he looked at her made her uncomfortable, in the way looking at Devon had. She quickly lowered her eyes, pointing at a passage on the webpage. "Won't be hard to take 'em down. We need manioc flour and crushed chile peppers. I don't know if any place that'd sell 'em would still be open now, but we- Well, maybe I'll go see if I can round those up now."

"Wait," he said, moving his hand out to touch hers. "I just- I- The kiss, earlier, I'm sorry if I crossed-"

His touch sent a jolt through her that went straight to her abdomen.  _It's just the residual. You're just more sensitive right now._  "Hey, no, don't worry," she said quickly, smiling. "We do what we gotta to get the job done. I know you just did it to get her attention."

There was a loud pause at the end of her statement that made her wonder if perhaps she was wholly right or not, and then Jay pulled his hand back. "Check and see if there's a specialty market or store or something nearby," he said.

She could feel her heart beating much too fast but she turned her gaze back to the screen. It didn't take long but she wished (or at least the logical part of her wished) that he wasn't sitting so close. "Yeah, couple of options, it looks like." Her face fell and she looked over at him in concern. "The last one closed two hours ago, though."

Jay avoided her eyes, both hands under the table by that point. He grimaced at learning the grocery stores were closed. "Maybe I could play burglar and go sneaking in," he muttered out loud. "I need a drink."

She went over to the fridge, grabbing him a beer and, on second thought, getting one for herself as well. "Not very knowledgeable in the b and e department myself, but I'll come along," she said, handing it over before sitting across from him. Jay twisted the cap off easily, still not looking directly at her, though he felt her knees within mere inches of his beneath the table. Her closeness made him squirm yet again, and he eagerly drained half the beer.

"Don't think I can concentrate on all the things needed for something that'll only take five minutes at the register for, come the next day," he said, incredibly reluctant. "We can wait."

She nodded, the silence falling over them like a fog. Even as she drank, she felt her heartbeat quicken, her eyes going over every contour of his face, taking in his perfection like a drug.  _Residual, that's all_ , she thought, though she couldn't bring herself to look away. Jay finally looked up after a moment, inhaling audibly to find her eyes meeting his. All the air in the room suddenly felt like it was full of static electricity, and yet...

"Jo," he murmured, finding himself leaning across the table before he knew better.

Her hand went to the back of his neck as her mouth crashed against his, her body singing at the wave of sensation and demanding more. The kiss immediately deepened, her tongue pressing past his lips, her body shuddering at his divine taste. The press of the table into his ribs hurt, but the glorious euphoria of kissing her again was enough to make the pain nothing but a minor annoyance. Jay nipped at her lower lip, sucking it into his mouth for just a moment before returning to the previous depth. He wanted more than anything to touch her, and that's when the table became a problem, though not for long. Jo pulled away from him to stand, quickly going around the table and pushing his chair back as she captured his lips again, her legs moving to straddle him. The press of his cock startled her, and for a moment she pulled back, her expression torn.  _We shouldn't-_  But his mouth felt so good, and her hips ground down as her tongue tangled with his again.

Jay groaned loudly against her mouth, his hands all but ripping at her shirt in an attempt to rid her of it. The weight of her alone felt perfect, almost too perfect, and with hardly a grunt of discomfort he moved to tuck her legs around his back and stood, one hand curling beneath her to hold her steady as he quickly crossed over to the bed. Not once did he break the kiss, and the moment they were flat he quickly undid the button-fly of his jeans and tugged them, along with his boxers, halfway down his thigh. Jo writhed beneath him, her hand going between them to stroke his erection. Her other hand twisted in the back of his shirt, making the buttons strain and the hem ride up. Jay broke the kiss at last with a hoarse gasp, leaning back enough to undo Jo's jeans as well and yank them down her thighs. Left with little desire to unclothe any further, he slid her legs over his left shoulder and thrust shallowly into her.

She cried out at the sheer heat and stretch, already spinning on the cusp of ecstasy. One hand twisted in his hair, the other in the bed cover, her eyes met his, shining with need and desire, urging him on with a groan. Jay leaned over, immediately rewarded by the new-found depth and a low moan. While the relief was swift, he found himself wanting more, and pulled out of her long enough to flip her over and crawl a little further up the bed in order to thrust into her again. Jo gave a sharp gasp at the change, her body rocking hard with every thrust. Looking over her shoulder, she reached back for his neck, urgently pulling his mouth to hers before she felt herself explode over the edge with a cry, her hips snapping desperately. Jay moaned against Jo's mouth as he felt her clench tightly around him, grabbing her shoulders underhand in an attempt to hold her steady as he pounded rapidly into her. One hand moved to find her breast, palming her through the shirt as he felt his orgasm rapidly descend.

"Yeah-!" Jay rasped against her lush mouth, his jaw visibly clenching as his thrusts went erratic, pleasure shooting through every inch of him until he was left breathless and moaning helplessly. A second orgasm came on the heels of the first, erupting inside her as she felt the heat of him penetrate her, racing through her veins to every corner of her body and leaving her shaking. Jay pulled out to keep from collapsing against her, falling face-down next to her on the bed and panting with effort. He gave a sigh of relief upon the realization that he was no longer hard, though the little shudders of post-coitus distracted him. He hadn't felt so alive in months. It wasn't long, however, until regret started twinging at his conscience.

Jo had no such twinging, crawling over to lay against him, her hand working unhurriedly at his buttons. She leaned in, kissing his neck, the underside of his jaw, the corner of his mouth. "More," she said lowly, her eyes dilated and shining with need. Jay blinked, slack-jawed with one word, but quickly pushed the regret aside. She  _wanted_  more, and Lord help him if he was going to throw that request to the wind. He felt himself stirring without further prompt, this time less painfully as he found her mouth to kiss her deeply, his hands moving down to his jeans to help wriggle out of them a bit faster.

* * *

The curtains shifted in the breeze from the slightly ajar window, a patch of sunlight flashing on and off across Jo's eyes a couple times before her face pinched in a scowl, and a few more before she rolled over in half-awake irritation. Then she sat up sharply, her eyes flying wide, and looking wildly around the room. She was alone.

"Oh god," she croaked, her head feeling completely clear for the first time since they left the party. Last night... She felt her face growing warm, shame and guilt and regret hitting her in a tidal wave, even though in the daylight it was clear why things had happened as they did. It hadn't been her fault, and it probably hadn't been Jay's, though a large part of her wanted to be able to blame him for it.  _We had no control. It's not our fault. It doesn't count, so it didn't happen._

She also knew she wanted to be showered and dressed before he got back. Wrapping the sheets around herself, she got up, gathering the clothes that had been tossed about the room in their haste. Nearly 45 minutes later she emerged, fully dressed but her hair hanging wet and limply, to Jay sitting at the table with a brown paper bag, a paper coffee cup, and a foil-wrapped sandwich. He looked up just enough to meet her eyes before looking down again.

"You don't have to come with me," he said, so low she barely heard him. "I'm pretty sure I found out where they're hiding. I can get 'em while they're out at their next party."

Jo stayed in the bathroom doorway, feeling her heart rate go up, though not for the same reasons as last night. She didn't look at him either.  _Can't be too cautious._  "I'll go; you'll need back-up," she said, trying to sound normal. "We should probably take separate cars, though. To be on the safe side."

"No," Jay said firmly, looking up at her at last, his expression a neutral mask. "I don't want you any thicker in this mess. Please, just go."

She met his eyes, and was relieved to feel no supernatural pull from his gaze. "Look," she said, regaining confidence in her voice, "what happened last night, we had no control over. It was one of the hazards of the job, and we're lucky it wasn't the ones involving death or mutilation. I'm not gonna dwell on it and neither should you. We just need to get the job done right, and that doesn't mean you getting caught and killed by a couple of dolphins."

Part of what she said made perfect sense, but then there was that itch just looking at her that said otherwise; he  _had_  wanted her. Christ, she was gorgeous, he would've had to have been dead not to want her. Only now they were not allowed to speak of what had transpired again. The sex had been  _mind-altering_ , in more than one way, and there would be no repeat performance. He felt his heart sag a little in his chest, but he ignored it.

"You think they'd even try and kill me?" Jay asked skeptically. "From the rest of that article, it sounds like they simply tire their 'crushes' out.  _Maybe_  drown 'em. It didn't say anything about putting a bullet in 'em."

Mentally steeling herself, Jo strode over to him, though she didn't sit. "I'm not going to trust anything to _maybe_ ," she said firmly, fixing his eyes with hers. "Especially when people are going  _missing_. Do you think the encantados have a little getaway home for all the people they use? This isn't a game and I didn't come along to play girlfriend at a party, I came to help you and I'm gonna see this thing through."

"I just don't want anything happening to you," he argued feebly, letting his gaze drop away.

Jo slammed her hand on the table, making him jump and look up. "Don't you dare start," she said, her voice shaking with barely contained rage. "I get that from Chase, I get it from my mom, but I'll be damned if I get it from you! I am not a fucking child. I'm not a civilian. I know what's out there, I know the risks, and I am  _not_  backing down. If you think it's safe enough to go in alone, then it sure as hell is safe enough for me." Jay blinked owlishly at her, his mouth hanging open slightly before closing with an audible  _click_. He nodded.

"Okay," he said, clearly and without any addendum.

She gave a sharp nod before straightening up, glad that for once she didn't get an argument to that speech, but a little thrown as well. She looked down at the table, then back at him. "Any of that for me?"

"Unless you like breading for fried dolphin, this isn't," Jay replied, giving a faint smile as he pulled the brown sack aside. "Everything else is, though."

Her expression softened, and though she wasn't entirely relaxed about it, she finally took the seat across from him. "Thanks," she said, taking a sip of coffee before unwrapping the sandwich. Jay stood however, moving to where he'd dumped his duffel and shuffling through it idly. Her stomach gave an uncomfortable wrench at the move. Clearly her orders for him not to dwell on it hadn't worked as well as she'd hoped. She didn't say anything, though, eagerly eating; it was clearly later than she usually woke up because she was starving. After a moment he came back with what he'd been looking for; a bottle of aspirin, three of which he shook out before offering them to her.

"It's a bit like getting back from a bender, isn't it?" he mused.

She gave a laugh, swallowing before accepting the pills. "Yeah, that's just what I was thinkin'."  _Except I remember things a lot clearer than usual._  "You got something to eat already, right?"

"When I was out earlier," he replied, sitting but maintaining space between their knees by sitting back a bit. "Good to know I didn't wake you."

"Yeah, no, out like a log." She ducked her head, going for the coffee. Granted, he wasn't actually talking about it, but did he have to keep skirting close to the issue? "So, where do you think these things are hiding?"

"We're not anywhere near Brazil," he said, jiggling his knee absently. "Only logical place to look was the aquarium, and wouldn't you know, they just recently brought in two new boto dolphins this week. Coincidence?"

"I think not," she said with a grin. "Good thinking. How far's the aquarium?"

"About an hour. Apparently college parties are the only parties," Jay said with a laugh, shaking his head. "Granted, they're not totally wrong."

She gave a snort. "Yeah, Oklahoma, not really known as the party state." Finishing the sandwich, she downed the three pills at once with a long gulp of coffee, already feeling a great deal better. "So why are we waiting?"

"Because you're slow," he quipped, grinning wide. "Not  _my_  fault. I was up at nine."

"Hey! Could've woken me."  _Though I'm glad you didn't._  "So what, you just don't wanna pony up the admission fee? 'Cause to me, getting these suckers while they're dolphins seems the easier plan."

"I'd rather not be mauled by a dolphin, since you think they're so dangerous," he chuckled. "Also, more people around? Dumping the colonel's blend of herbs and spices into the tank might be a bit obvious."

She shrugged in concession. "Alright, you might have a point there. When's the place close?"

"Six," he said, clearly proud that he'd done all this research  _and_  got the flour and chile mixture before she'd woken up, as well as breakfast.

Which meant seven more hours of awkwardness, but they were doing pretty good so far. Finishing off her coffee, she smiled at him. "Alright then. Sounds like a plan."

* * *

The day continued on without incident, and by four they'd had an early dinner and got in the car with the hopes of beating traffic. Though in hindsight, Jay wondered if there would be traffic going toward the aquarium, of all places. Rather than risk awkward conversation, he found a decent radio station and turned it up, tapping the wheel and nodding to the beat. Jo was glad for the noise, though she wasn't really listening to it. As the hour got closer, she started thinking more and more about what would happen after the hunt was done. More specifically, what she was going to tell Chase. While she was fine telling Jay and herself that last night didn't happen, something just didn't sit right with her about the idea of not telling Chase at all. She was frowning slightly as she watched the road ahead, trying to think of any possible scenario which wouldn't end badly.

In the process of changing lanes, Jay looked over at her and saw the frown. His first impulse was to turn the music down and ask her what was up, but he knew almost immediately what must have been going through her head to bring the frown out from nowhere. It had been one of the first thoughts he'd had after the first round they'd had; regret. He swallowed, going still.  _Say something, you idiot. Don't just sit here and be an asshole,_ he told himself.

 _Like accidentally taking a few sleeping pills and then trying to stay awake_. That was the best way she'd come up with to describe it. It wouldn't be so hard if that's all there was to it, Jo was beginning to realize. The thing was, there was a part of her that would be very happy to bang Jay on purpose. It wasn't even a very small part. Granted, even it wasn't pleased with how things had gone down, but that didn't stop it from whispering, _There's always next time._

"You gonna tell him?" Jay finally asked once he found the dial to the music and turned it down slightly in order to be heard.

Jo's stomach sunk and for a while she didn't respond, didn't even move. "I don't know," she said quietly, eyes still forward. Jay frowned a little.

"You weren't in complete control, you know. It wasn't your fault. If he loves you, he won't care," he said at last, but paused. "Well... he'll  _care_. I'm sure he'll be pissed off, but it won't be permanent."

"He's been through a lot of shit lately; I don't want to add to that." It was strange to hear what had practically become her personal mantra actually said aloud.

"And I'm sure that babying him is exactly what he wants," Jay countered, looking over at her. "Just like how much you like people caring about your best interests."

Nothing like being hit with a big bag of hypocrisy. She looked down at her hands, feeling like the guilt was swelling in her throat.  _No! Dammit, no, not now!_  She stiffened her jaw, looking up again. "We shouldn't talk about this now; we gotta have our minds clear."

"Just let me know when you make your mind up," Jay said carefully. "I just don't want the shit kicked out of me."

Jo smiled slightly, looking at him sideways. "I'll be sure to let you know."

Seeing the exit sign coming up, Jay switched into the far left lane. "We're going to have to go in like we're in the cleaning staff or something, I think. I'll get into security..."

* * *

"Again, we do apologize, Dr. Ang," Jo said in the firm, unquestionable voice befitting her official-looking security badge and walkie-talkie. "These bi-annual security are vital for the protection of the aquarium, though, so I'm sure you understand."

Before the disgruntled marine biologist could answer, she'd closed the aquarium entrance, locking the rather laughable deadbolt they had there. Of course, the front door would be more of an issue if they didn't also have access to the security room. There'd been one guard there, now sleeping soundly in said room while Jay worked on disabling the cameras and alarms, as well as erasing the footage of their break-in. She, on the other hand, had the task of emptying the building. Luckily most workers there had already left, with the exception of a few dedicated researchers. Now, however, it should only be her, Jay, and the fish.

She headed back towards the actual aquarium part of the building. Jay was meeting her between the Ocean Room and the Shark Tank so together they could find their way to the employee area above the water. As she passed the giftshop, the world suddenly became nothing but a dark shimmering blue, glass and water surrounding her above and on both sides. It was enough to slow her steps. Ushering the employees out, she had walked briskly through this area, but now she had a moment to enjoy. She'd never been in an aquarium like this before.

A large thud to her right made her jump, and she looked to see a pale blur swim off. Her steps quickened. Another thud came right above her, but again she saw only a pale blur.  _Maybe it's normal. Maybe fish rush into the walls all the time._  Try telling that to her heart. The tunnel she was in branched into glass bulges of rooms. She was half through when there came a soft tap, echoing in the silent cavern of the place. She turned to her right and this time it wasn't a blur. There, floating quietly but  _looking_  at her, was a dolphin. It was a bit strange looking, but not exactly menacing. As she watched, it swam a quick loop before coming around to look at her again. She walked towards it, frowning slightly. Was it an encantado? She wasn't even sure if it was the right breed. But it seemed only playful. As she got closer, Jo could see her reflection in the glass, a blurry image of herself projected over the dolphin. And a second reflection.

Jo spun around, fist out, but Devon caught her wrist without a blink, giving her a smile which would melt any girl's knees. "Hey there, pretty girl."

Not missing a beat, Jo kicked out, trying to sweep his legs from under him. Devon wasted no time twisting her around however, yanking her arm behind her back so they were back-to-chest and his mouth was near her ear.

"That's not nice. I was just being friendly."

Jo whimpered, both from the ache wrenching through her shoulder and the feeling of herself weakening under his touch. She swung her other fist up and back, aiming for his eyes, nose, anything tender. He seemed to anticipate this as well, turning his head just enough to dodge a painful hit. This time he kissed her ear.

"Why don't you settle down a bit, pretty girl? I wanna show you something wonderful. Wouldn't you like to see? I promise you'll love it."

Her breath hitched, the pain in her arm the only thing keeping her from completely succumbing, and even that was failing. She summoned one more attempt, kicking back at him, but it was half-assed at best.

"But I'll only let you see it if you stop struggling so much and follow me like a good girl. Can you do that?" he purred into her ear, his lips ghosting over the outer shell.

Her expression relaxed completely, the world becoming a fuzz where not even the pain mattered. All that mattered was what Devon wanted.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Good girl," Devon said, a smile in his voice as he released his hold on her arm, lacing his fingers through hers as he gave her a gentle tug in the direction of a side door she'd walked by without even noticing.

The door led to a long, sparse hallway where only the emergency lights were on. There were about half a dozen doors on the right hand side but only one to the left, and this is the one they went through. The room beyond was filled with pipes and the whir and gush of rushing water, and for a moment Jo hesitated. A slight pull on her hand, though, brought her back in step with him, her eyes looking up at him in wonder and need. He noticed and smiled at her as they took to a set of metal stairs, going above the piping.

"You are clever, pretty girl, I must admit," he said pleasantly. "We knew you realized something was a bit odd, but we were surprised to see you wander into our territory. Two years shipped from pen to pen, and you're the first to figure it out. It's just a shame you didn't give in last night." He slid a finger along her jawline, causing her to quiver. "The outcome would have been the same, but the means would have been a great deal more pleasant. What is your name, pretty girl?"

"Jo," she said just over the buzz of the room, her eyes locked on his, unblinking. He smiled, all pearly white teeth.

"Jo. Pretty name, too. What  _are_  we going to do with you, Jo?"

* * *

Jay hadn't gone to an aquarium ever, not even as a child. It was hard, walking through the huge building, not to stop and stare into some of the tanks. He knew, however, that they needed to be quick if they wanted to get out of Oklahoma before it got too late, especially seeing how awkward things had gotten so quickly. A small part of him wondered if he should apologize for bringing her along, for putting the tension between them, but he knew that she would admonish him if he did.

Truthfully, he wasn't sorry. The sex had surprised him, and not only that but it'd been  _amazing_. It was almost too good to be real, and yet if he closed his eyes for a moment he could still remember the feeling of her skin grazing against his, or the salty, slightly musky taste of her on his tongue. With a grunt and a shake of his head, he focused on the right cameras to switch off, catching the sight of Jo moving through the lenses. There was a flurry of movement in one, just before he turned it off. A man, who looked all too familiar for his liking. With a start he realized who it was, just in time to catch her try to fight him off. He sat up and turned rapidly, moving toward the door.

The hall felt like a mile, and he burst through the employees-only door nearly at a run - and slammed right into Olivia. She gave a gasp as she went to the floor, clearly not expecting anyone there. Her eyes widened more when she saw his face.

"You!"

The sight of her alone was enough to warm his blood, but Jay found the only person resonating in his head at the moment to be Jo. Jo, who needed him right then, right now. Jo, who was alone and fighting a creature whose counterpart had all but disabled him. Without pause he continued down the hall at full tilt, hoping for that few seconds of stalling.

Scrambling to her feet, Olivia rushed after him, though when she spoke she sounded nonchalant. "What's the rush, handsome? We never got a chance to finish what we started." He was quick, but she was quicker, reaching for his shoulder. Jay turned around so sharply he almost slid and fell, but he managed to pull his gun out of his holster regardless.

"Don't fucking  _touch me!_ " he snarled, taking a wide step back and pointing the gun directly at her head.

She froze, fear evident in her eyes, her hands up in front of her. And then, as if flipping a switch, her posture relaxed, her hand going to her hip as she smiled indulgently. "Alright, darling," she said, her voice low and suggestive as she took a step forward. "If you like it rough, I can do rough."

"Stay back!" Jay snapped back, sounding less angry and more anxious at that point as he countered her step forward with his step in retreat. He was wasting time, and Jo was in trouble. He needed to go, now...

"Put that down, dear," she coaxed, stepping forward again, her hand coming up slowly towards him. "We could have so much fun together..."

Despite the slowness of her hand, Jay's reaction was a knee-jerk. His finger clicked sharp against the trigger, and the clap of the bullet seemed to double over until his ears rang with it. The body of the girl arched almost gracefully as she stumbled backward, falling with a wet  _thud_  against the linoleum, her blood pooling thickly around her. Jay found himself frozen, eyes wide as he looked at her there. Then his brain caught up with him, and without a moment's remorse he turned and sprinted down the hall.

* * *

The next door Devon took Jo through opened up to what looked like a huge pool. A better glance proved that it was the uncovered aquarium she'd walked under earlier. He guided her along the metal platform to a little alcove with scuba tanks and gear. Finally letting go of her hand, he picked up two weighted belts, considering them a moment. Sliding a couple weights from one, he tied the freed section of nylon tight around one of her wrists before repeating the process with the other.

Jo frowned faintly. "What-?"

"Hush, pretty girl," he soothed, running a finger up the vein of his arm. Pulling the belt straps around, he buckled the wrong belts to each other, the bands uncomfortably tight around her stomach. Her frown deepening, Jo tried to move her hands from behind her back and found she couldn't. Grabbing another belt, Devon guided her to the spongy green mat that went out to the water's edge.

"What're you doing? I don't-"

"I told you, Jo," he said, kneeling to twine the last belt around her ankles. "I want to show you something wonderful."

Still frowning, her eyes moved from him to the water, the toes of her sneakers just past the edge. Something was wrong; it felt so wrong. She tried leaning back, away, but found Devon's body pressing against her.

"Don't worry, Jo," he said quietly, a finger turning her face towards his, his lips so close. "I'll make it so you won't feel a thing."

"Get away from her!" came the sudden, booming voice above them.

Jo looked up, her blurry vision slowly taking in the figure at the end of the walkway, holding a gun. "Jay?" she said, frowning slightly. Why would Jay point a gun at her?

"Let her go,  _now_ ," Jay spat angrily, pulling out the bag from behind his back. "Or I'll shoot you dead too, I swear to God."

Ducking low to use Jo as an effective shield, his hand coming up and around Jo's neck. "Now don't be too hasty; dear Jo's neck can snap faster than that bag can hit the water," Devon warned lightly. "Why don't you come down here, and we'll see if we can work things out so everyone leaves happy, hm?"

"We weren't going to hurt you, man," Jay said in a dangerous voice, though he found his feet moving despite himself as if he was hypnotized. "We just wanted to stop the disappearances. But you've gone too far now. You _let_  her  _go-_ "

"I will, I will," he reassured him, turning as Jay made his way along, to keep Jo between them. "But you've got to make concessions, too. Put down the gun, and the bag, and I'll give you the girl. And then you'll leave Olivia and me alone. We'll even promise no more disappearances." His smile shone. "How about that?"

He hadn't heard. Jay looked at him, all but shaking with rage and half tempted to shout it outright just then that Olivia was dead. One look at Jo stopped him, and very slowly he crouched down, putting both the bag and the gun on the ground in front of him, though he didn't move out of their reach just yet.

Devon raised an eyebrow. "Don't trust you that much just yet. Kick them to the side. Relax, pretty girl," he said, his hand running down Jo's arm, which had been twisting in her binds. "We'll all have what we want soon."

"You take your filthy hands off of her, and I'll kick them aside," Jay sneered.

Devon tisked. "And we were playing so nice." His eyes flickered to the door Jay had come through, a moment of concern, but he looked back with a smile, pressing a kiss to the back of Jo's neck. Her expression, which had been tensing with uncertainty, instantly cleared, and Devon held out his hands. "There. Better?"

Still completely un-trusting, Jay took a slow breath and forced himself to kick the gun and bag aside, the two items landing at different places because of weight. Eyes on Jo, he spoke quickly. "Come here, Jo. Let's get out of here."

Jo's vacant eyes landed on his, her focus sharpening. Her lips parting, she took a step forward, and instead wobbled dangerously, Devon catching her by the back of her shirt.

"Ah, sorry, her feet," Devon said as though he were silly and forgetful. "I can get those off. Though, perhaps we should wait for Olivia. She should have a say in this."

"You already threw in your bargain chips, asshole," Jay countered, his voice losing some of its edge at Devon's words. "I'll take care of Jo. You can back the hell off."

Devon's look at the door was longer this time, and then he looked Jay straight in the eyes. "What happened to her?" he said, all traces of playfulness gone.

"She got in my way," Jay said without a hint of remorse.

Devon's back straightened completely, disbelief in his eyes, but Jay's expression left no room for doubt. Devon's lips peeled back in a snarl. "Fair's fair." Arms catching Jo at the side, he shoved her with all his might, Jo's gasp of surprise cutting off before she hit the water. But Devon was already moving, launching himself at Jay. The move was so fast that Jay had little time to react, lunging for the bag at the same time that Devon's body rammed into him. The other man was quick, his hands reaching up to strangle him, but Jay aimed a sharp uppercut to his chin, giving him enough of a window to wriggle for the bag. The blow snapped Devon's head back, sending his hat flying, but he came back without missing a step, his rage focused and almost blind to what Jay was doing as he closed his hands on the man's neck.

"You killed her!" he snarled, pulling Jay toward him only to slam his head into the forgiving floor, and then again. "You killed her, you fuck!"

White light exploded behind his eyes and Jay wheezed in an attempt to get a breath, his other hand moving up to press into Devon's face. He was rewarded with the painful bite of teeth, his resulting scream nothing more than a strangled noise as he choked. Vainly Jay reached above him, finding the deep hole in the top of his head and covering it with the heel of his hand. Devon gasped in surprise - or tried, and thrashed back in pain, his hold releasing so he could snatch Jay's hand away. Given just enough of a window, Jay brought up his knee sharply between Devon's legs. Devon folded with a strangled cry, his hands cupped around the pain as he unknowingly slid off Jay. Urgency speeding up his movements, Jay grabbed the nearest object - the bag - before racing to the water's edge and diving in.

All sound seemed to cease, and with limited light and visibility it was hard to tell just exactly where Jo was. She'd gone deep quite quickly, and without his own weights he found himself struggling to get to the bottom fast enough. It was the sight of her hair, fluttering like seaweed in the denseness of the water, that finally helped him find her. It was the only part of her moving. Finding the knife he kept in his pocket, he grabbed the nylon rope around her wrists and slid the knife through it. Two saws had it free, and already feeling the painful sensation of air expanding in his chest, desperate for release, he grabbed her around the waist and started kicking furiously for the surface. He broke through, gasping and still kicking furiously as he tried to heft her head well above the water. For an eternal second, she didn't move, didn't breathe, looking like she was sleeping except for the blue tint to her lips. And then her body convulsed, wracking out a cough that was mostly water. Her eyes opened briefly before it happened again, drier, and this time she got a gasp of air as well. Jay found the belts around her waist with his other hand, ripping at them until they came free and sank lower into the depths of the water again. Holding her above water became much easier, and he immediately started pulling her to the dock. Her shaking hands touched his arms gingerly, her gaze unfocused and uncertain. But as soon as she saw the edge, she reached for it, pulling weakly, Jay doing more to get her up there than her efforts. She dragged herself forward, curling on her side, her still weighted ankles hanging just over the water. She hacked again and then convulsed harder, retching up the contents of her stomach.

Jay watched with a frown, his hand moving her wet hair out from her face and cringing a little at the smell and sound. It was hard not to throw up himself. Turning his head, he saw Devon where he'd left him, curled in a fetal position and crying. For a moment he almost felt bad for the creature, but the sound of Jo's moan once she'd finished puking only solidified his hate for it. With a touch to her back he retrieved his abandoned gun, tucking it into his jeans and going back to help Jo stand. Every step made a wet squelching sound, but he ignored it. There was nothing left to do, now; the article said that once sunrise came, Devon would turn back into a dolphin again, but the only way to stop the transformation was adding the flour and chilies to the water. He would either have to commit suicide by drying out, or remain a dolphin forever.

Neither seemed to be that great, but Jay could give a damn.

"C'mon, Jo," he murmured, his arm around her waist.

She leaned heavily against him, her arms wrapped tight against her chest though she still shook uncontrollably. Her eyelids were heavy from worse exhaustion than she ever thought possible, but her legs kept moving with his. Her throat burned, but she had to say one thing, even if it came out rough and croaking. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said without pause, leading her toward the stairs without looking back.

* * *

The ride back to the hotel was quiet, Jay leaving the radio off so that Jo could sleep as peacefully as possible. He was tempted to carry her up to the hotel room, but they already looked awkward in wet clothes, so he simply slid his arm around her. She wasted no time going straight to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The shower was on moments after. Left in the empty room alone, Jay stripped out of his clothes in favor of a pair of sweats he'd packed, waiting until she was finished before taking a shower of his own. He kept his eyes low to the floor in their passing, though the concern was obvious on his face. He was almost tempted to skip the shower altogether, but the aquarium water stank on his skin. It was short, and when he returned Jo was fast asleep in her bed. Frowning, he went to the mini fridge and pulled out a beer, curling on his bed and settling back to keep a watchful eye on her.

She slept sound through the night, not even shifting positions. The sun hadn't yet risen when she woke up, but it was light enough that the room seemed painted in shades of gray. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Jay, just two feet of floor away. He was propped up on pillows, half sitting but asleep, his face turned towards her. She stared at him, studying him, wondering at him. He'd saved her. Of course, that's what he did; he would have saved a perfect stranger. But part of her thought... And there was the other night. Of course neither of them had any control over that. It wasn't like there was attraction.  _At least not on his part_.

And then there was the part of her that was yelling that these were bad, horrible thoughts, how dare she even think them.

"Is this how you felt when I was watching  _you_  sleep?" Jay asked in a scratchy voice, not yet opening his eyes.

She instantly looked away, feeling her face grow warm. "Sorry, I wasn't-" she started, matching his scratchy voice with her own. Then she paused for a thought. "Wait, you were watching me sleep?"

"To make sure you were breathing okay," he replied, opening his eyes finally. "Hypothermia or... something. You snored. I figured that was a good sign."

Meeting his eyes, she gave a light snort at that, unable to keep from smiling. "Sounds like everything's working normal. Feel a lot better now."

"That's good," he said, giving a nod and moving to sit up properly. He cringed a little in pain, moving to stretch his arms above his head. His body had cramped a little from the odd angle.

She didn't look away, her smile slowly fading. Even in the pale light, she could see the bruising around his neck. She'd messed up, and he could have been the one to pay for it.  _Not that you'd've been alive to know it_ , was her comforting thought. Jay noticed the change in her expression and frowned a little as well, coming to standing.

"Look," he said in a low voice, his eyes on her face but a bit of color rising in his ear. "I..."

She was almost afraid of what he would say. "I'm going to tell him," she blurted, her face growing warm again. "I'm...I'm just not going to tell him it was with you."

Jay closed his mouth with an audible click, all but gawking at her a little. It'd been the last thing he'd been expecting to hear from her. What did it mean about them? Did that mean she wanted to see him again? Were they going to continue to pretend it didn't happen?

"The kiss at the party wasn't just-" he stammered, dropping his eyes at that. "I mean, I- it's- I know you're with Chase, but I-"

"Don't," she said firmly, her grip tightening on her pillow. "No buts. 'I know you're with Chase' is where that sentence ends."

"Just because you're with him doesn't mean I can't-" he interjected, though some of his forward momentum had pittered off.

She sat up sharply. "What, doesn't mean you can't-" She bit her tongue, knowing she'd regret what she'd been about to say. What a way to show gratitude; go ahead, claim he knew what he was doing the other night. She let out a long breath, not looking at him as she spoke. "As far as Mom and Chase know, I came out here alone, on my own hunches. And it should stay that way. No reason for them to know what happened. Any of it."

"I'm not arguing that," Jay replied, moving around in front of her but not crouching so she'd be eye-level with him. He was afraid it would be too close. "I just... I don't regret anything. I just wanted you to know that."

Despite herself, she felt her anger rising. "Nothing? So you're fine with fucking against your will? 'Cause you're sure as fuck alone on that one."

"I still would've done it, even if the situations had been different," he said immediately, though his eyes went wide at his own declaration.

For a moment, Jo just stared at him. Then she scrambled to her feet, fury etched into every movement. "What the fuck are you saying? If you could've stopped you wouldn't have?"

"What? No!" he answered, eyes widening further as he took a step backward. "No, that's not- I  _like_  you!"

She only stepped forward. "Then how can you not regret it?" she snapped. "You don't have a drugged up screwathon with someone you care about and are glad you did it! That's how you feel about someone you'd like to fuck, not someone you like, if you know the fucking difference."

Her teeth clenching, she brushed by him, headed for the bathroom. Jay flinched as she slammed the door, eyes screwing shut as he dropped his head. Everything had come out wrong; he hadn't meant it the way it sounded. It was too late though, and no doubt she'd want nothing to do with him once she came out of the bathroom. So, quietly, he packed up the rest of his belongings in his duffel and headed for the door to pay for the rest of the night. Lord knew, she probably needed a day to herself to recuperate.

Jo was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, scowling, when she though she heard the room door close. She got to her feet, rushing back into the bedroom area. It was empty. Her chest hitched painfully and she took two long strides, kicking the bed so the headboard slammed against the wall.  _What did you expect?_  she thought, rubbing furiously at the tears welling in her eyes.  _You called him on it. Saving someone doesn't mean you're a good person. Watching someone sleep doesn't mean you know a damn thing about them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new and creative twist on the "Sex Pollen" idea. Or at least, I'd like to think so.


	4. Chapter 4

Ellen hated lone hunters for several reasons, all equally important and equally bothersome. In most cases, a lone hunter normally became that way because of circumstances. Bill normally didn't hunt alone, thank God, but when he did it always made her worry. How would she know if he was okay? What if he wasn't home in the time frame he'd said? That Jo had purposefully chosen to go off on her own had terrified her for weeks, though the moment she wrote about first Ricky and then Chase, she dealt with it. They would watch each other. When Jo had decided to go on a hunt again alone after Chase's accident, Ellen was immediately thrown back into the terror of losing Jo again. Jay had offered her peace of mind, and the few hunts Jo took after her first one was always with a partner, which eased her worry further.

After the Oklahoma hunt, Jo came back brittle and unresponsive, and when the option came for her to go on another hunt, she didn't take it. Three more came, and still she stayed home. Concerned but afraid to start an argument, Ellen went to the last hunter she'd worked side-by-side with. Jay sounded tense on the other end of the phone at first, but after hearing more about Jo's behavior and Ellen's worry, he finally agreed to come down for a few days after getting one of his workers to watch the shop in his absence. Compensation was a night's worth of board to make up for the gas, which he seemed okay with.

Jo was cleaning up the last of lunch when Jay walked through the door. She looked up, every muscle tensing at the sight of him, but then went back to cleaning.  _Figures he doesn't have the decency to stay the fuck away_. With slightly more tenacity than was strictly needed, Jo grabbed up the dish-laden tray, heading for the kitchen.

Jay had tried to smile when she met his eyes, but his frown was immediate when she ignored him, and he found himself a little affronted when she left altogether. The roadhouse was silent, with only one other hunter eating alone at a table near the far left corner of the dining area. He gave a nod to the man before sitting at the bar, fingers laced on top of its surface as he looked through the swinging door that lead into the back of the house.

Taking her time to load the dishes and wipe down the counters, Jo half hoped he'd just be gone when she went back out. So finding him sitting there expectantly only made her scowl deepen. Throwing her dishrag over her shoulder, she leaned forward with her palms on the lower bar.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"To talk to you," he said evenly, his face calm. "Mostly to apologize. Partly because I heard through the grapevine you weren't hunting anymore. Probably because I was an asshole."

She stared at him for a beat, then gave a sniff of a laugh. "Figures. That really figures," she said, snatching the towel up and going to the empty part of the dining area.

"What's that mean?" Jay replied, his brow knitting as he turned on the stool to follow her with his eyes.

Jo tossed a glance at the lone luncher, who was looking so much like he wasn't paying attention to them that it was clear he was all ears. With a sharp about face, she strode up to Jay, her voice quiet but furious. "Do you know how many years I tried to convince my mom to let me go on hunts? Or how much I had to cajole Chase so I could go out again? I have spent my whole life in a place like this, trying to prove I'm not a little girl who's entertaining 'cause she can shoot a gun, that I am able and worthy of being a hunter. And you think a little jerk move like yours is what finally broke me down. Tell me how you manage stayin' standin' upright with the weight of your own head."

She didn't wait for a response, tossing the rag at the bar before striding out the front door. Jay blinked owlishly after her, stunned speechless for a moment before he scrambled off the stool and out after her, though he made sure to be on the defensive. He'd been hit by girls before; they had a tendency to fight dirtier than a man if pissed off properly. He didn't want to deal with that just then.

"Not all three things were exactly related!" he said in his defense. "Christ, you don't fight fair in a verbal fight at  _all_ , do you? Do you even take two seconds to  _listen_?"

Jo didn't stop until she was around the side of the roadhouse, turning around sharply. "As fun as it would be for a guy halfway through a steak sandwich to hear the whole thing, I thought we'd try somethin' diff'rent," she said, folding her arms, her weight firmly on her heels. "Go on, then, if you got somethin' to say."

"Look," he said, trying to adjust his posture to look less defensive. It was difficult. "Sometimes I'm not the best putting words out the way they oughta be, and things don't come out sounding the way I want 'em to or how they are in my head. I'm sorry if I pissed you off. I never meant to, and what I said back in Oklahoma, I just-" he lowered his voice, taking a step closer so she could hear without his voice carrying far. "- I meant that it was amazing. Crazy amazing, and while the situation wasn't best, you were amazing, and I don't regret having experienced what could probably've been the most brain-melting experience in my whole stupid life. Probably not what you want to hear, or any better'n what I originally said, but  _fuck_  woman, I'm a man and I'd have to be dead not to say it." He took a breath, surprised she'd let him go that far without slugging him or something.

Her scowl was deepening, though she looked more irritated than angry. Though she was angry; he wasn't  _getting it_. Yes, it was mind-blowing; yes, it was bone-melting; yes, it had been a long time - okay,  _never_  had she had sex that was as fucking amazing.  _But that's not the point!_  "What you-"

"I'm not done," he interrupted quickly, trying to cut her off before she got too far in her tirade. "As for my babysittin' you that one time, I only did it because Ellen asked me, and I never knew my mom outside of birthday money and one Christmas, okay? She's the coolest damn woman I've ever known, and I respect her, and she loves you. S'far as I know, you're a damn good hunter, but if Ellen asks me to do something, I'm not gonna say no if she has a good reason. You comin' down to help me... you didn't have to, but you did. And you couldda left after the party, but you didn't. You're beautiful, and perfect, and I wish I was Chase. And I'm a stupid ass, which is why I never could be. I get it. And I'm not gonna try stealin' you away, because yeah, maybe I'm an asshole, but I'm not a dick. Okay," he finished at last. "Now I'm done."

The frown eased from her face as he spoke, leaving her wide-eyed and looking more like the little girl she didn't want to be seen as. She took a sharp breath, looking away, her hands shifting to hold tightly to her upper arms. "It wasn't me," she said stiffly, still not looking at him. "The woman you had sex with wasn't me. We might as well have been possessed; if we fucked now, it wouldn't be the same, it would  _never_  be the same, so you can stop thinking what you're thinking. It's not real."

"Say whatever you want," Jay said, making a sweeping gesture with his hands, palms up and away from him before letting them drop to his sides. "Doesn't change the fact that you're still amazing, and beautiful, and perfect. I said what I wanted to say. Now I'm going to go drink at the bar down the road, and come back at closing to sleep, because I've already paid your mom."

Jo waited until he'd turned around completely before swiping at her eyes; she'd cried enough in front of him. Why'd he have to come? She'd been getting- Well, no, she hadn't been getting along fine, but that sure as fuck didn't help any! She wanted to yell at him, to hit him, and, in a very confusing part of her, kiss him.  _Just let him go. Don't make things worse._

Jay got all the way to his car, but didn't put the key in, just leaning against it and letting his head rest against the roof. He felt sullen and stupid, and was half-tempted to get in the car, turn right around, and drive home, fuck the compensation. Ellen would protest, and prod information out of him, but perhaps he'd forget to turn his phone back on for a few days. When she didn't hear the car start up, Jo glanced at him. Why wasn't he  _leaving_? Deciding she couldn't take waiting any more, she headed back for the front door, steak-eater's conclusions at her storming in teary-eyed be damned.

* * *

In the end, he'd drank too much to drive home. Hell, the bartender didn't even let him drive down the street to the roadhouse, so he walked, his feet dragging against the gravel leading up to the building. He felt sluggish in his movements, the world tilting on its axis as he finally settled against the back door, reaching into his pockets for his room keys before realizing he'd never picked them up.

"Damnit," he muttered under his breath, knocking on the door. It was only after he'd done it that he realized he should've just called; now there was the risk of any of the three roadhouse proprietors to come to open the door to him. He fumbled in his pockets again, hoping that he hadn't left his phone in the car. Before he had a chance to find out, the door opened and there was the barrel of a shotgun aimed at his head.

Jo lowered the gun after a beat. "What the hell are you doing?" She looked a little rumpled, dressed in a tanktop, shorts, and gray woolen socks. She also looked a bit pissed.

"You needs more words," Jay said with a thick laugh, almost falling forward with the lack of the door to lean against. Despite his drunkenness, he managed to keep from gawking at her, forcing his eyes to stare at the ground. "Fergot my keys."

Jo grabbed his shoulder to keep him steady, though her scowl only deepened. "Alright, c'mon then," she said, pulling him in before closing and locking the door. She led him back through the kitchen to the little, paper-crowded office, snagging a set of keys from the wall. "Hope you don't need to be wherever you're going early tomorrow."

"Not goin' nowhere early t'morrow," he replied, leaning in the archway to keep from falling over. He let his eyes follow her languidly, mesmerized by her curves.

She raised an eyebrow at him, noticing the placement of his eyes but knowing he wasn't in a state to be blamed for it. She held out the key. "Well good, 'cause you won't want to. Where are you headed, anyway?"

"Huh?" he asked, his eyes sliding up to her face.

"Where are you headed?" she said slowly, shaking the keys back and forth.

"To my room," he replied, laughing a little at her question.

She rolled her eyes. "You're on the way to a hunt, right?"

To that, he shook his head. "Came to see you."

Jo's lips parted slightly in surprise, her hand still held out towards him. The room suddenly felt much too small. She frowned slightly. "Just to apologize and... Why now?"

He started humming the tune to Heard It Through The Grapevine before breaking into little breathless chuckles, reaching to grab his keys but dropping them. "Whoops."

She took a quick step back as he bent down to grab them, his head getting a bit closer to her than she was comfortable with. "What- Y'know, never mind. You need to get to bed, and so do I."

"'Kay," he said around a snort, standing up again perhaps a bit too fast because he swayed on his feet before turning, tottering down the hall.

Following quickly, she almost grabbed his shoulder to help him, but decided against it. He was managing to stay upright so far, after all. "It's upstairs. You think you can make it?"

"Gotta," Jay replied, staying close to the wall. "Can't sleep on the floor."

She smiled slightly. "That is true." She didn't leave him yet, though, not nearly as certain about his walking abilities as he was. Once they got to the stairs, Jay took the first few steps without the use of the handrail, but quickly clung to it as if his life depended on it as he stumbled on the next step. She rushed up to him, sliding an arm around his back.

"Careful there."

"My hero," he murmured flippantly, letting his head rest on her shoulder a moment before the two of them slowly started ascending the stairs. Her stomach flipped but she didn't pull away, not even when they got to the top.

"Gimme the key," she said, stopping in front of his door.

"I'kn do it," he said petulantly, clumsy hands thumbing for the right key and sliding the one for the back door in despite his vain attempt.

Patiently, she pried his hand away before putting the right key in, nudging the door open with her foot. "I helped you with dolphins, I can help you with this."

"S'at mean I'm fergivin?" he asked, looking into her face with liquid eyes, pupils dilated from drinking.

She didn't look at him, pulling him toward the bed. "Don't worry about it," she said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"You said so," he argued, though from his tone he didn't sound too dedicated to trying to prove his point. He didn't hesitate to fall face-down into the bed, one arm reaching for a pillow.

She figured it was best to let it drop; he seemed to be anyway. "I'm leaving the keys on the table here, alright?" she said clearly, setting them down. Jay rolled over, eyes back on her again as they slid slowly over her frame.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful."

Her eyes met his, her hand still on the keys a moment before she quickly stood up straight. "Go to sleep, Jay," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Jay visibly sighed and nodded, though his eyes stayed on her. She paused at the door, looking back at him.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Gotta," he replied, his expression neutral. "Hafta go back home 'ventually."

"Tonight, I mean. Are you going to be okay tonight? Or are you going to choke on your own vomit?" she said, teasing lightly. He cracked a crooked smile.

"Don't vomit. Sooperdooper hangover, though," he said.

She smiled back. "I'll make sure Mom whips something up for you tomorrow to help." She hesitated until she realized she was only stalling. "Alright. I'm leaving now. 'Night, Jay."

Jay rolled over without another world, burrowing his face into his pillow with his shoes on. It was the only way he could keep from begging her to stay.

Closing the door, Jo let out a long breath. She didn't know what she was doing or how she was feeling, and the fact that she'd been up all night because she couldn't sleep didn't help. After a while she finally headed down the stairs, but not to bed.  _Maybe the office. That could always use sorting._  And she tried not to think about how she wished he'd needed her to stay.

* * *

Ellen didn't bother knocking, using her master key to get in as she balanced her last tray in the other hand. The nearing-noon sun was seeping in through the outsides of the window curtains, but it didn't seem to be bothering Jay none. He was sprawled out on the bed, his shoes still on. Closing the door with her foot, Ellen knocked the keys from his side table so she could set the tray down.

"Alright now, Janus, you slept in long enough."

Jay groaned from where he was burrowed in the bed, grabbing another pillow and putting it over his head to block out both noise and sunlight. "M'not 'ere," came the muffled reply.

"Coulduv fooled me," she said, sitting on the bed. "Come on, boy, I cooked a special hangover breakfast for you, so you're gonna eat it before it gets cold."

The groan turned into a whine easily, his body curling inward at the mention of food. He would surely throw up if he ate, no doubts there. She gave a breath of a laugh, patting his back. "Or you could just drink the water and Bloody Mary, but you gotta start somethin' that'll get you back in shape."

"If you have any mercy in you, just kill me," Jay muttered, moving the pillow just enough to uncover his mouth and not sound muffled.

"Don't think I've ever been known for my mercy," she said with a smile. "Where were you, anyhow? We got perfectly good booze here, y'know."

"Jo didn't wanna talk to me," Jay said, finally removing the pillow but squinting painfully in the light, re-covering his face again. "Didn't wanna make her mad, so I went down the road."

Ellen's smile faded into a concerned frown, her eyes looking at the tray of food without really seeing it. "Prob'ly not your fault," she said with a sigh. "She always gets testy when she's not huntin'. Just wish she'd tell me why she keeps shrugging off her chances."

"Probably just misses you guys," Jay said slowly, not completely sure himself. "The last hunt, she nearly drowned. That does stuff to a person."

Ellen stiffened, turning sharply towards him. " _What?_ " she said in a voice that wasn't angry but promised rage to come. Jay immediately felt his whole body tense, waiting for a physical reaction, and almost ready to jump out of the bed and run for his life.  _She didn't tell them,_  he thought instantly, knowing definitely now that Jo would probably punch him in the face now, if not before.

"Ellen, it's okay, I was there-" he started.

She grabbed his shoulder, turning him so she could look him straight in the eye. "What happened?"

"Encantados," Jay replied, wincing a little. "But we had it under control. Everything's  _fine_ , Ellen-"

"My girl almost dying is not  _fine_ , Janus," she snapped, her grip squeezing. "How'd it happen? What were you doin' there?"

"I found the hunt and called Jo to see if there was anyone else in the area," he started, trying not to visibly wince at her grip. "She came down instead. We found them at a party, stalked them back to their lair, and took 'em out, but not before they got a slight advantage on us. I kept her safe; I'd never let anything happen to her, Ellen, I swore that I-"

Letting go of him with a shove, Ellen got to her feet. "Don' move. We're gonna talk later," she said with a warning point of her finger before she stomped for the door. Jay groaned, curling under the covers and pillows as if that was sufficient enough of a way to hide. No doubt the wrath of the Harvelle women would have  _him_  rolling out in a wheelchair before the end of the day.

Slamming the door behind her, Ellen didn't pause as she went down the stairs, the hall, and into the dining area. Jo was standing at the bar, organizing glasses. Ellen grabbed her by the arm, pulling her through the kitchen and into the office, slamming the door behind them.

"Mom, what the hell-"

"If you weren't 24-years-old, Joanna Beth Harvelle, I would slap you," Ellen said with quiet fury, letting her arm go just as forcefully as she'd grabbed it. "The  _hell_  were you thinkin', not tellin' me what happened in Oklahoma?"

For a moment, Jo gaped. Then the anger caught up with her. "That sonuva bitch. I'll-"

"You won't do a  _damn thing_  to him," Ellen all but snarled. "I don't know whether to thank him or beat the living shit out of him, but  _you_ won't do a  _damn_ thing. If he hadn't been there, you'd be dead, and I'd-" her voice broke a little, her face pinching to keep the sudden swell of emotion back. "Y'didn't even tell me he was there with you. I don't even understand you anymore, Jo."

"I didn't want you freaking out, alright?" Jo said, folding her arms and looking away with a scowl. "I got out of it, there was no reason to make you panic over somethin' that'd already happened."

"Lying to me doesn't make me trust you any better!" Ellen snapped, taking an angry step forward, her body shaking with rage.

"Since when have you ever trusted me?" Jo snapped back, her hands clenching. "Since when did it matter what I said? I could have a thousand perfect hunts and you wouldn't trust me a goddamn bit!"

"I'm never not gonna  _worry_  about you!" Ellen countered, her expression turning from angry to something not quite translatable. "It's not the same thing!"

"You won't have to!" Jo countered, shaking all over. "I know I fucked up, alright? I know by rights I should be dead, and I would've deserved it 'cause it was a stupid amateur mistake, but I'm not gonna do it again. I'm done with hunting. You got what you always fucking wanted!"

Ellen frowned, quiet for a long moment. "Honey. I know... that it's important to you. I know why you do it, and I... I just don't want you hurt. I'm always gonna want you safe, but I don't want you unhappy."

"I'm not," she said, her voice cracking as she hugged herself tighter. "I-I'm just- I'm no good any more. Since Chase- My head's not in it, I'm not thinkin' right and I can't- A hunter without their head on straight's not gonna be a hunter for long."

Wordlessly Ellen moved closer still, arms sliding around her daughter's waist to pull her into a hug. She hated seeing Jo like this, torn and broken, reminding her so much of how Bill was right before he died.  _If I'd lost you, I would've died, too_ , she thought inwardly, moving a hand up to stroke Jo's hair.

Jo curled into her, still shaking but fighting off the impulse to cry. Gradually, her arms untwisted, wrapping around Ellen.

"I'm always gonna support you, honey," Ellen said against her temple, pressing a kiss there. "I'm not always gonna like what you do, but I'm  _always_  gonna support you. D'you hear me?"

She nodded but didn't pull away, unable to speak. Jo didn't know what she wanted any more, and it was almost harder not to have Ellen trying to tell her what to do. Why did everything have to hit her like this?

"Take the day off and do something to feel better," Ellen said. "You've worked four days straight. I can handle things for a bit."

Her instinct was to object, but she didn't want to argue. And it didn't sound unappealing. Taking a steadying breath, she pushed slightly away. "Okay." Ellen pulled fully away as well, then suddenly scowled.

"Damnit, the cart is still upstairs," she said, already moving for the door.

Jo gave a breath of a laugh, letting her go. She sat back on the desk, focusing on her breathing and wondering what on earth she should do with a day off.

* * *

It wasn't like she needed much for a day's worth of driving and possibly hiking, but over the years Jo had become better-too-much-than-not-enough when it came to supplies. She was stuffing an extra outfit in a satchel when she heard a quiet creak behind her, the unavoidable noise that always preceded Chase into a room. She didn't turn around.

"Hey," Chase said, a hint of stiffness coloring his voice as he wheeled in, quarter-turning to shut the door before going over to where she was packing. "Where ya goin'?"

The truth was, he'd been on his way to get something out of the office when he'd heard Ellen and Jo fighting. His blood had run cold at hearing that she'd nearly drowned, and part of him was almost tempted to go up to where Jay was sleeping and beat the living shit out of him. He'd known this entire time and not said anything to him or Ellen? Worse yet, Jo hadn't told him. He could understand maybe not telling Ellen, but him? What else had she not said?

"Just gettin' out for the day," she said, turning to him with a smile. "Got too much cabin fever or somethin'. Think I'm drivin' Mom nuts." A pause. "You wanna come along?"

"Nah," he replied, forcing a chuckle. "You go. Have fun."

She just nodded, closing up the bag. She knew she should coerce him at least a little, but she just wanted to be alone. Didn't keep her from feeling a little guilty about it, though.

"Thinkin' of heading to Mount Sunflower. Shouldn't be back too late," she said, sliding the bag onto her shoulder. That she'd decided on a hike made his heart hitch painfully in his chest. He knew she wasn't trying to rub it in, but he'd once loved hiking.

"Sounds awesome. Drive safe, 'kay?" he said, turning to go.

He was brisker than she was really comfortable with, but then he did that a lot. She did, however, slide up behind him, leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't let her boss you 'round too much."

For the first time, he gave her more genuine of a smile. "I won't."

Patting his shoulder, she went back into the room to rummage for her canteen.


	5. Chapter 5

Tossing the collapsible shovel in her trunk, Jo slammed it shut before smiling at the man standing by the car next to hers. "Thanks again, Frank. Always good to have a second pair of hands."

Frank gave a laugh, leaning on his open driver's side door. "Yeah, for digging. You had this haunting pretty well in the bag, Joanna."

She smiled with a shrug. "Never know for sure."

"You always were the smart one. You gonna be alright heading back this late?" he asked. She could see him purposefully relax his muscles, trying to act as if there was nothing behind the question.

"Yeah. Probably just hop a couple towns over and get a room for the night, head out early tomorrow," she said, trying to act as if she didn't notice.

Frank fixed her with his gaze for a moment, weighing the response, then nodded. "Alright. Drive careful now, and tell your mom I said hey. I'll try to get down there sometime soon."

"Look forward to it," she said, nodding back at him. They both slid into their cars; Jo knew he wouldn't take off without her, so she didn't bother stalling. Still, she wanted to. Well, more accurately, she didn't want to go home.

She scowled as she drove. It wasn't like things were bad at home, really. Her mom had been more supportive, even encouraged her to take on this hunt. They both figured ghosts were straightforward enough to tackle without much worry. Ellen had actually been pretty great.

Chase, not so much.

It wasn't that he'd been mean or they'd argued. There were even some good times. But most of the time he was broody, and not talking about it. She didn't want to push; she had her own secrets. But they were getting quieter and quieter; they would even spend a whole night, getting ready for bed, sliding in, trying to sleep, without saying a word. She hated it. She just didn't want to go back there.

As she got into Milwaukee proper, she knew she should get on I-43 to head back to Kansas, but as she waited at the light, her eyes were drawn to the words "Chicago: 94 mi." Chicago. Not too far from Aurora. Granted, 94 miles was quite a ways, but...

She bit her lip. Right to I-43 or straight to I-94. Her hands gripped the wheel, her stomach flip-flopping. A horn blared behind her, making her jump. She looked up to see the light had turned green.

Heart thumping, she went straight. The further she drove, the more her stomach seemed to knot up, and yet she kept driving. By the time she reached the house in the boondocks of Aurora, it was nearly 2AM, and she hesitated briefly before seeing that there was a light on in the living room. Feeling a sense of trepidation, she parked and walked up the path leading to the front door. Before she even got there it opened, the occupant holding a sawed off shotgun and wearing little more than an undershirt and a pair of sweats with a hole in the left knee. However the moment he saw who it was, he lowered it, brows arched in muted surprise.

"Er... Hello."

"Hi," she said, smiling slightly though her eyes were uncertain. "'m I catching you in the middle of somethin'?"

"No, not really," he said, shifting on his feet for a moment before moving inside the house, holding the door open to her.

Her heart gave a hitch, and for the first time she thought this might not be a good idea. The thought didn't stop her from going inside, though. She didn't walk much past him, waiting for him to close the door.

"I was in the area," she said as explanation. "For a hunt. Thought I'd come by and see how you were doing."  _At two in the morning._

"Couldda called," he replied, his lips quirking slightly in a smile as he started locking the door up again.

"That'd involve thinking ahead," she said with a smile. She didn't realize she was staring until he turned back around, meeting her eyes. She quickly looked away, turning down the hall. "Wanna show me around?"

"The awkward tour? I'll pass," Jay said with a laugh, shaking his head a little. "You want something to drink, or something?"

She smirked, peering into the living room. "Sure. In here or the kitchen?"

"If you wanna sit, you can," he replied, shifting on his feet again before moving to put the rifle back where he'd originally got it from by the door. "I've got, uh, beer and grape juice."

"Not exactly a winning combination," she said with a laugh as she went over to the sofa. "Beer sounds good."

She sat, her nerves jumping, but not exactly in a bad way. For a moment he disappeared down the hall, leaving her in the living room alone. What surprised her was that his living room wasn't vacant of life; he had a desk with papers and a few books, and two framed photos on the mantle, along with personal objects scattered throughout the space on most of the flat surfaces as well as the dark green carpet. On the coffee table was a newspaper, a few torn-open envelopes, and a sudoku book, which only baffled her more. Her fascination resulted in him clearing his throat lightly, dangling the beer by the neck in her line of sight. She jumped slightly, feeling her face grow warm but she gave a laugh.

"Thanks," she said, taking the bottle and popping the top off. "I like your place."

"It's home," he replied, plopping down in the chair adjacent to the sofa and propping his socked ankles up on the end of the coffee table. "You lookin' for a place to sleep for the night or something? Or do you normally come 'round to see how folks are doing at two in the mornin'?"

"Yeah, well, wasn't big on sleeping or driving much tonight," she said, taking a swig. She focused on the bottle as she continued. "Also been meaning to...well, I guess thank you. For telling my mom."

That made his brows arch again. "I figured you were going to slug me in the face. Not thank me."

She smiled. "Oh, I would have, if Mom had let me." She took another drink, looking at him again. "But it made things better. I should have told her before."

"If it's any consolation, I thought the only thing you didn't tell her was the... thing... that happened between you and me," he said slowly.

"I figured you didn't do it on purpose. Especially with a hellish hangover," she said with a shrug and a longer drink. She licked her lips, glancing up at him, her eyes searching his face before she took another drink.

Jay blinked at her, a frown creasing his forehead. "Something on your mind?"

She shook her head. "I don't know." She leaned back, trying to relax against the sofa with a slight smile. "How's things for you?"

The frown only deepened. "Fine, I guess. I'm, uh, I've been mostly just workin' in the garage recently. Not a whole lot of local stuff goin' on."

"Yeah. Was a bit of a drive to my hunt, but a good road trip now and then's not a bad way to pass the time."  _Right. This is becoming the smallest of the small talk._  She chewed her lip, not sure if she could dive into what was on her mind.

"Seriously, Jo," Jay said, his frown not so much upset as concerned. He'd come to notice in the time he'd spent with her that she tended to dodge things when she was thinking too much, and the lip chewing was never a good sign. "Spill it."

Her eyes darted to him, filled with hesitation. Then she stood, only moving a couple steps away, just enough to have her back to him. That made it feel easier. Taking another drink before peeling at the label, she finally said, "I've been thinking about Oklahoma. And afterwards. 'Bout what you said." She paused, but he didn't say anything. She took a breath. "Did you mean it?"

Jay looked at her back, watching the tension between her shoulders and the fidgeting, his jaw clenching a little in thought. It was a loaded question, and a small part of him wondered what had happened to revisit what had been said.

"What I said when I came down to the roadhouse?" he asked carefully, wanting to be perfectly sure what she was asking.

"Yes," she said, swallowing. "Do you still feel that way?"

It was like his stomach had suddenly twisted up and jumped at the same time. Something about her tone promised unspoken opportunities, and without even realizing it, the word was out of his mouth before the question even finished:

"Yes."

The tension melted from her shoulders, her eyes falling closed as she let out a long breath. It was the answer she hadn't known she was looking for, one that made up her mind for her. Finally having a decision erased any uncertainty. She turned around, slowly, setting her beer on the coffee table before standing up straight, her eyes on him. She didn't move, just waiting. Jay watched her with a hint of apprehension, watching the deliberate movements as his stomach continued to knot up. The air became charged between them somewhere in the middle of their two affirmations, and it was obvious that there were expectations there. He stood as well, looking back and forth between her eyes. A selfish part of him wanted to take what she was offering until he'd had his fill, but another part told him that it would be a stupid move. Jo wasn't just beautiful, she was smart, and he didn't want to be 'that guy,' even if she was giving him that chance.

"But I ain't a dick."

She walked close to him, her smile more in her eyes as she slid her hand behind his neck. "No," she said quietly. "You're not."

She leaned up slowly, closing her eyes as her lips met his in an unrushed kiss. Jay stood somewhat frozen for a long moment, tension rising in his shoulders until he finally relaxed, his arms circling around her waist as he returned it. A million questions rose up in his mind all at once, leaving nothing but a cacophony in his head, but he urgently tried to silence it by parting his lips just slightly beneath hers. With a pleased little hum, Jo sucked lightly on his lower lip before deepening the kiss, still slow but needy. His response meant there was no more thoughts of hesitation, her mind a pleasant buzz of touch and taste. She pulled slightly on his neck, backing up until she felt the wall. Emboldened by the move, Jay pressed his hips eagerly into hers, one hand moving up her sides to palm one of her clothed breasts, his thumb and forefinger seeking out her nipple to pinch it faintly. With a high gasp, Jo arched her back into him, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip. Her reaction spurred him on, his hand sliding beneath her shirt to touch the bare skin as the little licks of pleasure from the press of their hips crept through him. The touch sent a quiver through her, her leg sliding up and around his thigh to pull him closer, hips grinding against him. One hand twined up in his hair while her other slid around his back, twisting in his shirt. Jay easily slid his other hand beneath her thigh to hold it there, the grind bordering on pain as he groaned against her mouth. Forcing himself out of the fog she was putting him, he broke the kiss and tugged his hand free.

"You sure?" he murmured against her mouth.

She let out a long breath through her nose, smiling slightly. "I want you," she said, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "For real this time."

 _This is a dream,_  he thought hazily, letting her leg drop from his side to find her hand and pull her after him toward the back bedroom.  _I'm going to wake up any minute now._

Jo followed without a word but as soon as they were through the door, she pulled him to a stop. Her hand went to his neck, her lips meeting his in a searing kiss. It only lasted a moment before she pulled away, grabbing the hem of his shirt and tugging it over his head. Her lips were instantly at his neck, her hands exploring his now exposed chest. Jay leaned back against the door, hands clenching the fabric of her shirt at her hips and closing her eyes as he focused on her lips and palms. When her teeth and tongue grazed the space just to the left of his Adam's apple he groaned, moving his hands to pull her hips against his again to grind against her. Grinding back, Jo's mouth dipped lower, nipping at his collar bone. Her hands traveled down to the hem of his pants. All of his attention was immediately on the location of her hands, torn between wanting to pull her clothing off as well or simply let her take control as she seemed to be enjoying it well enough. Jo could feel his chest hitch under her lips, his breathing quickening. She smiled, arching her neck up to capture his mouth with hers as her hand passed the hem, her fingertips running down the length of him before gripping him around his base.

" _Jesus_ , Jo-" Jay rasped against her lips, clenching her shirts so hard his hands started tingling. If anything, the fact that they were both uninfluenced made everything hypersensitive.

Her hips snapped against him at the words, heat rushing through her veins. Nipping at his bottom lip, she stroked him slowly. Jay screwed his eyes shut, breathing shallowly through this nose before renewing the kiss with added vigor; it was the only way to distract himself from ending too quickly, as getting her undressed would mean her stopping. Even if if it was brief, the very thought made him thrust openly into her touch. Jo's hips hitched in sympathy, though it wasn't nearly enough. She gave a frustrated whine into his mouth, one hand moving to his waist, pulling him along as she backed up, though god only knew where the bed was. It was the whine that broke the mood a little, and he found himself giving a breath of a laugh against her mouth, moving his hand to her wrist to gently pull it away from beneath the waistband of his pants.

"I'm gonna follow, but I really kinda don't wanna risk a pull on that," he said in a throaty voice, smirking slightly. "How 'bout you get some of your clothes off and I get to play a bit?"

She smiled back, her fingers running a faint trail down his chest before she stepped back. Toeing off her shoes, her hands went to her jeans, quickly squirming out of them, her eyes on him the whole time. Jay walked her backward until her calves hit the edge of his bed, his fingers finding the hem of her shirt and tugging it straight upward. Jo dropped her arms as he pulled the fabric away, her hands twisting back to unsnap her bra. The fabric was hardly off her skin before his hands were on her shoulders, his head dipping down to kiss her as he gently eased her backward onto the bed. The press of skin against warm skin gave him a little shiver and he deepened the kiss appreciatively, settling comfortably between her knees. Quivering in anticipation and need, Jo arched underneath him, her hands sliding up to grip at his back. After a long indulgence Jay's mouth drifted from hers, moving to her jawline and down along the column of her neck as his hands wandered over her pale skin. He was just reaching her clavicle when the phone rang from its place on the dresser a foot away, the ringtone generic-sounding but quite loud. Jay visibly jumped.

"Don't stop now," Jo said, the sudden pause in his ministrations only making her squirm worse. Her hand slid up into his hair as if to hold him in place.

"It's-" he exhaled, eyes closing momentarily at her hand but opening again at the next round from the ringtone. "My dad never calls. He hates phones."

Her breath hitched in frustration, but 'dad' was a word she couldn't ignore. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Answer it."

He was already reaching for it when she finally spoke, though he made no move to get out from beneath her knees. Flipping it open, he moved to hold himself above her with his other hand.

"Yeah, Pop?" Jay said, his voice gritty but his head dipping down to kiss the spot near her ear. The sound of the older man's voice could be faintly heard echoing through the other side of the receiver.

Jo's eyes widened; she hadn't expected him to, well, continue any part of what they were doing. It felt vaguely voyeuristic, having a third person in on the scene, albeit unknowing. Definitely a strange feeling, though not exactly bad. Her nails ran lightly across his chest, giving a hum of appreciation at his lips.

"Nah, I wasn't asleep," Jay replied to the unheard question, his tongue and teeth grazing along a sensitive bit of skin before going downward again. The voice continued on, though from the sound of it the topic wasn't serious, and Jay continued on. "...No, just day job work. Uh-huh."

 _Oh god_. He wasn't stopping. She took a sharp breath, squirming slightly. Her hands slid over his shoulders, urging him on even as she bit her lip, more than usually conscious of any noise she might make. Jay looked up at her, momentarily shifting his attention mostly from his father to mostly to her, wriggling down just enough to lave his tongue against one pert nipple before suckling it lightly.

"Mm-hm," he answered around the soft skin, eyes amused.

Her back arched up to his mouth, her own mouth falling open but no sound escaping.

"What? No! I lost money on the last game," Jay said suddenly, his lips parting from her breast in the process but rutting sharply into her at her reaction. "Was there anything I could do for you, Pop? I was kinda in the middle of somethin' when you called."

A soft whine escaped as her hips rocked up against him, her eyes following him, inwardly begging Jay's father to finish the call. She didn't feel like holding back anymore. There was a short pause, and then a very definitive question that had Jay stop altogether and nearly bite her in his attempt to keep from laughing.

"No, Pop. I would never watch porn while on the phone with you. Whaddya take me for?" he deadpanned.

Jo felt a laugh bubbling up in her chest, smirking at him as she shifted her hips to rub against him.

"But seriously, I gotta go. Yeah. Love you, too," he finished, then closed the phone shut and tossed it to the floor. "Jesus, of all the times to just wanna catch up," he muttered, his lips moving to the other breast.

"Mm, s'what parents do. Programed to interrupt at the worst times," she said, closing her eyes as he picked up where he left off. One hand twined in his hair while the other slid above her head, gripping to the headboard as an anchor. He would've spoken up to defend his father simply because 'he meant well,' but the words died on his lips when he glanced up and saw her hand where it was. He found himself leaning up quickly, one hand going toward the drawer by his bed. The movement made her open her eyes, her mouth twisting into a smirk as she saw what he was doing.

"Finally done teasin' me?" she said, rolling her hips up.

"You started it," he replied, cracking the foil open.

She chuckled, the hand that had been in his hair going down to cup her breast, fingering the already erect nipple. She bit her lip, watching him roll the rubber onto his length. "Can't argue there."

"Less talking," he admonished lightly, slipping into her easily and bowing his head at the sudden and total rush of euphoria. Jo gasped, her back arching with the sudden thrust of pleasure, her hand gripping tight to the headboard.

"Oh  _God_ , Jay," she moaned, her breath quickening with her heartbeat. Jay wasted no time adjusting her ankles behind his back, tilting her up just a little before finding a metered pace, each thrust grinding upward into her clit and taking her breath away. Her heels pulled him in harder and deeper with each move. Her knuckles were white on the headboard, her other hand in his hair, pulling him to her in a breathless kiss. His own hand moving to cover hers on the headboard, he threaded their fingers together as he arched upward just a little, showing surprising control at holding his upper body still and not jar the kiss with every thrust. After a few moments he finally broke it, moving his unoccupied hand down her side before slipping just beneath the small of her back to tilt her upward into the thrust. The move brought a sharp keen of appreciation, her ankles shifting higher. With every thrust the heat and tension in her body surged, little noises escaping her lips almost subconsciously.

The noises seemed to spur him on more than anything, and soon his thrusts turned sharp and shallow, his head bowing to press his face into her neck. More than once the urge to coax a verbal response out of her rose in him, and it was those times that he simply nipped her neck and forced them down. The hand covering hers on the headboard moved, sliding along her arm and then her side before smoothing over her thigh and following the path upward again. She shivered at the touch, a layer of sensation on top of the sharp jolts of pleasure. Her legs tightened around him, her gasps growing higher.

"Please," she hissed, trying to breathe deep to draw it out but not wanting him to stop. Her nails dug into his shoulder, the one on the headboard tingling with growing numbness. "Jay- _yes_."

"Tell me what you want," he finally growled against her neck, nipping her earlobe.

A shiver ran through her with a little cry, the words unexpected. She gulped air, trying to keep from spinning away too soon. "Harder," she hissed, only just reaching his ears. Even though the word was faint, Jay was quick to give what she asked for, moving to unlock her ankles from behind his hips in order to pull back and thrust sharply into her. He felt her inch up the bed at the movement, his hand shifting beneath her to hold her better in place as he did it once more. Jo gasped at the first thrust, but the second got a loud keen, desperate and overwhelmed and wanting more.

"Oh God,  _fuck!_ Please, I-oh!" Her body bucked and writhed, the pleasure grabbing hold and sending her over the edge. "Jay, God  _yes!_ "

Jay's jaw clenched and his eyes screwed shut at the rhythmic clench of her climax around him, managing a few swift thrusts before he followed her, his moans short and clipped as each wave hit him. He was slowing as Jo came down, every erratic thrust sending a surge of pleasure through the pleasant throbbing. She felt the tension in his muscles easing, an arm going around his back to pull him flush atop her with a content sigh. Jay let himself breath erratically until he felt himself even out, pressing a kiss against her neck as he carefully pulled away and rolled. A quick grab at the tissue in the same drawer and he was back next to her again, snaking an arm around her and pulling her against him. Jo snuggled close, basking in the warmth of him. She watched him through heavy-lidded eyes, a small smile pulling at her lips. Leaning forward, she pressed a slow kiss to his lips before pulling back.

"You were more timid than I expected," she said with a breath of a laugh. That brought a small snort, though he didn't confirm or deny her statement; a small part of him was still worried that she was using him as a rebound.

Jo caught the uncertainty in his eyes and chuckled. "I didn't say it was a bad thing," she teased, cupping his cheek with her hand.

"Guess I'm still shocked," he murmured, turning his face slightly to kiss the inside of her wrist.

She shivered, her eyes falling closed for a breath. "Careful there; I might just have to take you again," she said with a smile, not moving her hand.

"God forbid," he said with a small laugh, kissing her thumb as well. Technically the living room lights were still on, but the bedroom was dark enough that it wasn't entirely annoying. He found himself yawning automatically at the thought.  _Guess I'm_ not _asleep after all,_  he thought aimlessly. Jo's hand slid down to tweak his nose.

"Guess I am keeping you up past your bedtime, eh?" she said wistfully.

"Just a little," he said with a sheepish smile. "I was fine until you showed up. Thanks. Now I'm gonna miss all the late night talk television."

"Damn, all that? Surprised you even answered the door." She shifted down as she spoke, her face nestling comfortably against his neck, her arms curled between the two of them. Jay closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose as the sleep started to permeate his mind. The evening might've been confusing overall, but for now it was enough.

* * *

Jay woke first, though for a few minutes he didn't dare move. It felt too wonderful, too comfortable, and frighteningly enough too  _right_ , which in his mind meant that it would only be time before she was gone. Unfortunately, bodily urges argued with resting still, and after going to the bathroom to clean up and relieve himself, he headed toward the kitchen to make breakfast.

Jo was slower waking up, consciousness first resolving in an overwhelming feeling of contentment. Then the realization slowly came that nothing smelled like she was used to, not even like blanched hotel cleaners, and that the sheets she was wrapped in definitely felt different. A reaching hand found the sheets next to her empty but still a bit warm.

She opened her eyes. Jay was gone, and so was the feeling of contentment. She sat up slowly, looking around the room, wondering if he'd just up and left. A clinking came from the other room and she almost laughed at herself.  _Your paranoia's not even making sense; he's not gonna leave his own house._  Sliding out of bed, her hands making a half-assed attempt at modesty, she quickly hurried to the bathroom. She came out a few minutes later in the bathrobe that had been hanging on the door, quietly making her way towards the sounds of the kitchen. Jay continued on, not knowing of her approach as he forked out one of the waffles from the waffle iron. He hummed absently as he worked, his hands beating out a drumbeat on the countertop in the middle of waiting. Jo considered coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, but she knew full well sneaking up on a hunter was a bad idea. Instead, she quietly sat at the table, which was mostly covered in newspapers, crossing her legs. With a second thought, she parted the bathrobe enough to show a practically-illegal amount of leg. Then she waited, watching him with a slight smile. When the plate was full, Jay turned to get the maple syrup he had in the microwave, but stopped abruptly when he saw her sitting at the table.

"Er, good morning."

"'Morning," she said, her smile wider at his expression. "You know how to cook. I'm impressed."

"Well, if I didn't, I would probably starve," he replied, smiling as he grabbed a clean plate and plopped two waffles onto it. "Frozen blueberries. Sorry."

"Well now that's just an outrage," she said wryly as he brought the plates over. "I'll have to take it out of your tip."

"Did you want butter too? Or just syrup? Or jam and peanut butter?" he asked, already trying to think of another possible topping. "I think I also have -"

She caught his hand as he set the plate in front of her, her expression amused. "Syrup's fine," she assured him, her thumb brushing along the back of his hand. "Go ahead'n sit; you know you wanna eat them while they're still warm."

"True," he said with a sudden grin, though he let her use the syrup first.

After drowning her waffles, she passed the syrup over. She eagerly ate the first bite, her eyes lighting up. "It's great. Thank you," she said, her foot nudging his leg. Jay grinned wider, lifting the one waffle to douse the it before letting the first drop onto it, then covered that one as well.

"No problem."

She ate in silence for a while, but her mind, which had obediently followed her order last night not to think to much, was now making up for lost time. What did this mean? What was she doing? What were  _they_  doing? Should she be feeling more guilty than she was? What next? What was Jay thinking?

She found herself watching him as she ate, her foot sliding almost subconsciously along the base of his calf. The touch slowed his eating, and his eyes moved up to find hers already looking at him. He swallowed.

"Milk?"

"Oh, no, 'm fine," she said, giving a quick smile before looking down at her plate, a blush coming to her cheeks.

"Sure?" he asked, brows raising slightly at her reaction to such a simple question.

"Yeah," she said, forcing herself to look up at him. "It's fine without, really great. I mean, if you're getting up anyway, I wouldn't say 'no.' Milk can be great, too. But I don't want you getting up for me. They're really great, they don't need anything else."  _Why the hell am I rambling?_

Jay found himself biting back a chuckle, standing and heading toward the refrigerator to get the milk and setting it on the counter, then turned to get two glasses. Jo felt her face growing warmer; what was  _wrong_  with her? She was acting like some naive teenager. Of course, he wasn't helping, acting so completely  _normal_. As though she hadn't showed up on his doorstep last night with the express purpose of jumping his bones. Still, she forced a smile as he gave her the drink. "Thanks."

"If you wanna take a shower or something, I can get you a towel," he said conversationally, returning to his waffles.

"Sure, that'd be great," she said, self-consciously readjusting the robe to be a better cover before she continued eating in silence.

"So," Jay said after another pregnant pause. "Am I pretending that yesterday was just an elaborate dream and you somehow sleep-walked into my room without your clothes before falling asleep next to me? Or something else?" He chewed his bite and swallowed before cutting a new one from the maple syrup saturated second piece. "Just wanna know so I don't accidentally say something I shouldn't."

Her eyes met his in surprise and for a moment she didn't move. Then a smile pulled at her lips, her shoulders relaxing. "I don't know about you, but I'm sick of pretending," she said, swirling a piece of waffle around her plate. "This time I thought we'd stick with how the way things actually happened. If that's alright with you?"

"That mean it's allowed to happen again?" he asked, not exactly sure how to feel about the hopefulness in his tone.

Her smile crossed the line to predatory, her foot tucking under his sweatpants to slide along his leg. "Absolutely."

"Good," he replied, though he felt his body respond both to her answer and her expression. "I was just... I thought maybe you were just jerkin' my chain or somethin'. No offense, I just..."

Her smile fell, her foot freezing in place before dropping to the floor. It wasn't so much that his words stung, although they did. It was moreso that they might be kind of right. "Why would you say that?" she asked quietly but honestly.

"Well, I mean... God, I'm not even totally sure how to say it," he said with a sheepish laugh, taking a gulp of his milk to help clear the dryness in his throat. "I just... one-sided? I thought you didn't really like me all that much, and I was sorta... I dunno."

She felt a spark of anger in her, her fork dropping from her hand. "So, what? You think last night I came here 'cause - I don't even know. 'Cause you were the most convenient dick?" she said, scowling.

Jay blinked at her, his brows furrowing. He was quiet a moment before finally speaking. "Are you pissed because I'm calling you out, or is that just your way of trying to make me feel like that's not the case?"

If he'd reached across the table and slapped her, she couldn't have looked more surprised or hurt. What made it worse was that he hadn't yelled; he'd said it thoughtfully, like he actually believed it. "If all I wanted was a fuck," she said, her voice quavering between anger and tears, "I wouldn't have come to you."

God, just looking at him hurt. She got to her feet, bolting out the door and heading straight for the bathroom.

"Jo, wait," he started, rising as well. "Jo-!" But by the time he got to the door, he heard the lock turn, and he sighed in frustration.  _Never thought I'd be doing this at my own house,_  he mused, frowning and pressing his head against the door. "Can I just not say  _anything_  right to you?" he asked through the door.

She sat hard on the toilet seat, furiously wiping at her traitorous eyes. "You accused me of, of just  _using_  you for sex," she said, her voice hitching slightly. "You couldn't've said that any way that would've made it alright!"

"Actually," he said, his frown deepening at her tone; it was obvious she was on the verge of crying, if she wasn't already. He hated the idea of having made her cry. "What I said was that I had  _thought_  it was one-sided and that I didn't think you liked me. So, y'know, surprise! You wanting me more than once means you liking me, and this is news. You can't tell me you haven't just hopped in bed with someone 'cause you were wanting a piece, and you can't be mad at me for assumin' the worse. That's not fair and you know it."

"It isn't fair, 'cause you assumed the worst from  _me_ ," she said, tearing off some toilet paper to blow her nose. "You told me how you felt, so if I came here knowing that and not caring and just wanted-" She cut off, her chest hitching painfully. God, is that what she'd done? Of course, it hadn't been just for the sex. And she did want him, she did care about him, but she also knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. There was Chase. No matter how things were between them, she knew she couldn't tell him to get out of her life; it was all he had left. She gave a muffled sob, curling up.  _God, I'm really that horrible._

"What?" he coaxed, his voice going softer at hearing the sobs as he put his hand on the knob. He didn't twist it; it would be pointless with the lock. "I- Please open the door."

She shook her head. How could she even face him now? "You-were right," she said, gasping to try to compose herself. "Go a-way. Please go."

Jay felt a painful clench in his stomach at her words, his hand falling limply from the doorknob.  _Told you. You never had a chance_ , a small voice in the back of his mind whispered, making him close his eyes. Without even trying to argue he turned, going to his bedroom. He carefully scooped up her clothes, put them outside the door, and closed it behind him, making sure to lock it as well.

The composure she'd been slowly building fell apart when she heard his door close. She folded onto herself, the sobs feeling that much more painful but she felt it was everything she deserved.

It was a long while before Jo emerged to grab her clothes, and even longer after that before she came out dressed and looking normal except for some puffiness around the eyes. She stood a long time in the hallway, knowing she should just leave, but a large part of her unwilling to leave it at that. Biting her lip, she quietly made her way to the bedroom door, knocking. Not that she expected him to answer.

"Jay?" she said, her voice a bit scratchy. "I just wanted to explain."

"No point," came the hollow voice from the other side.

Her expression threatened to crumble but she forced herself to continue. "Jay, please. I...care about you," she said quietly, leaning on the door.

She opened her mouth to continue but he spoke first, low and flat. "Then just leave."

Her fingernails dug into her palms, pain against pain. "Jay," she forced herself on. "I really do. You're... But I can't leave Chase. He's-I just can't. And you should get better than that."

Jay was glad she couldn't see his face during her mock-confessional, as there would have been no way to mask each of the emotions as they passed across it: sadness, longing, disappointment, rage. He wanted to pick something up and throw it at the door, or shoot a hole through the ceiling with the pistol he kept in the second drawer of his night stand. Anything to drown out the sound of her speaking, like a knife twisting in his chest. He closed his eyes.

"If you really cared, you would've stayed the fuck away from me instead of giving me false hopes," he said at last. "Now get out."

A lump settled in her throat. "Jay, I'm sorry," she said, feeling the tears well up despite herself. "I'm so sorry. I just wanted-"

"GET OUT!" he finally shouted, unable to hold back the hurt, betrayal and rage a moment longer.

Jo jerked back from the door as if struck, her arms wrapping tight around herself. She stared at the door a moment; even then part of her wanted to stay, to make him come out, try to force him to understand.  _Haven't you done enough already?_  The lump in her throat becoming painful, she turned away, leaving and closing the front door quietly behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

Days blurred into weeks, until two months passed. Jay ignored any calls for hunts that came his way. There were plenty hunters on the move now, and if something came banging at his door, he had no problem putting it down, but he didn't go looking just then. Things were painful and bitter in his chest, and rather than go to war with them he repressed them, taking his anger out in steel and oil, gears and glass. One car came in that looked as though it had been T-boned by a mack truck, and he took great pleasure out of banging the metal back into shape again along the frame, his muscles so sore at the end of the day that his head hardly hit the pillow each night before he was dead asleep without a dream to trouble him. The body work on the maybe–T-bone normally would've taken him two weeks to get to the grinding stage, but not surprisingly he was nearly finished in five days.

It was better that way; better than thinking about the things that had happened and couldn't be changed, no matter what he said or did.

He saw her name come up twice on the caller ID, each time leaving a message, and he deleted them both without listening to them. It meant not having to put a voice to the words in his head that hurt almost as much as the ache in his chest.

"Hey, Jay!" called another mechanic, making him look up from his work. The guy jerked his thumb towards the front of the building. "Got a customer out there asked for you specifically."

"I'm busy," Jay grunted in reply, returning to the sorting he was doing for pieces he could use to weld with. "Get Greg to fill out an appointment slip."

"You don't think I tried that?" he said with a snort. "She said she spoke to you before and you'd promised you'd handle it right away. She doesn't look the type to be gotten rid of easy either, so get your tail in gear."

"Isn't that why I  _hired_  you?" Jay said sternly, ignoring the younger mechanic's smirk as he stood and dusted off his pants, walking up toward the front. "I don't have time to deal with every sorority girl who's got a dent in her fender."

"Think you want to deal with this one," the mechanic added, his smirk widening as Jay got to the door.

Jay didn't bother asking what the hell he meant by that, pushing through the swinging door into the front lobby.

Jo had been leaning on the counter but stood up straight when he entered, her mouth slightly open in surprise and uncertainty. Jay, on the other hand, went rigid at the sight of her, his expression forcefully going neutral. He'd told her he was a body mechanic, but he'd never expected her to find him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly.

At least he didn't just turn around and leave. She glanced around the office, making sure they were alone. Licking her lips, she had trouble looking him in the eye.

"There's a vampire nest, in northern Missouri. Ronnie's going after them, I'm going for backup, but..." She finally faltered, finding it hard to just pretend that was all there was to it. "We could always use another hand."

"Three's a crowd," he replied, sliding his hands in his pockets. His jaw continued to remain set.

She opened her mouth to reply but stopped, looking down at her feet. Her hands fiddled with the edge of the counter. "I wanted to say I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I tried calling but..."

"I've got nothin' to say to you," he replied evenly, letting his eyes slip away from her. While he may have looked uncaring, inside his stomach twisted and churned, warring with the clench of his heartache.

Jo swallowed, her hands clenching. She knew not to expect much from him, but it still hurt. "Maybe I'll just talk then," she said, mouth twisted in a forced smile. "Because I wanted to tell you... I don't regret what happened."

"You don't regret cheating on the love of your life?" he countered, his voice disbelieving.

"He's not-" Her voice broke. She took a deep breath, her nails digging into her palms. Her voice was calmer as she continued quietly. "He might have been once, but he's not the same person he was. Neither am I."

"I've got no respect for you, stickin' with him because of pity," he said honestly, ignoring the desire to comfort her. She deserved his reaction. "He wouldn't want that, if he knew." A pause. "Does he even know?"

"What should I do?" she said, heat behind her voice even as tears sprang to her eyes. "Tell him it's over? That he can get lost, with no one,  _nothing_  there for him? How's that anything but selfish?"

"Better than being a fake," he countered immediately. "And a liar. If he can't deal with the truth, that's his problem."

"Just because I don't love him doesn't mean I don't care for him!" she cried, pushing off the counter and at him. "If it's his problem, it's my problem, too!"

"No, sweetheart," Jay said with a small sneer. "It isn't. And it certainly isn't mine."

Her expression was stark, disbelief and hurt and anger struggling below the surface. "I'm not your sweetheart," she said, her voice shaking. "And I'm not the only liar and fake in this room. You tell me I'm perfect, you want me, but-but you're not trying to win me, then why even tell me? Was I supposed to pretend I didn't hear you? Was I supposed to not even care? And you-" Her voice got caught in her throat and she turned away but she didn't leave. She'd done that enough with him.

"Tryin' to  _win_  you?" he replied incredulously. "Christ, woman..." He ran a hand over his mouth, biting back the urge to comment about how he didn't compete for affections because it shouldn't be that way. He knew she wouldn't get it and would probably turn his words around and make them sound like an insult. He shook his head. "I don't go out of my way to set myself up for disappointment."

"So you did it to me instead," she said, scowling at the floor. "You said you weren't a dick, but then why tell me you wanted me? Why couldn't you have just kept your mouth shut?"

"I'd rather be honest," he said bluntly.

She turned around, staring at him. "You really don't care who you hurt, do you?" she said, her voice quiet and clear, as though seeing him for the first time. "I thought- I guess I just saw what I wanted."

Jay frowned, letting his posture go a little slack at her words. "That's not true. I do care. I just can't..." he exhaled, feeling his exterior cracking.

"You just can't leave well enough alone?" she said, though there was no accusation in her voice. "Every time I see you, you just- You make me start questioning  _everything_. It's- I don't know if I can take it any more."

"If you can't, then don't," he said, his voice going quiet as he gave a slight shake of his head. "Be happy."

She looked away, her arms sliding around her waist. "I can't be," she said, just above a whisper. "I'm not."

"Then do what makes you happy," he replied, shifting on his feet uncomfortably, torn in two directions. "Be with who makes you happy."

"I was happy with you," she said, tears springing to her eyes. "For one night, I was happy."

Jay let his head drop, swallowing but not speaking. What  _could_  he say? He couldn't do with her what she wanted; the benefits of her relationship with Chase but just sex with him when either of them were in the area. That had been the 'basis' of her happiness. Or was it?  _I just don't know,_  he thought helplessly.

His silence was answer enough. She nodded, shifting towards the door. "I shouldn't keep Ronnie waiting," she said, loud but hollow. "Sorry I bothered you."

"What do you want from me?" he asked, vulnerability and naked honesty in his voice.

She froze. There were so many things, none of them fair to ask of him. She let out a slow breath, rubbing her arm. "Forgiveness might be nice."

Jay inhaled slowly, then exhaled again before nodding. He could forgive her for lying to him, but that didn't make the disappointment and betrayal any less.  _Is this the end?_  he asked himself honestly, feeling another kind of clench in his chest at the idea of never seeing her again.

The nod only made her heart ache, but she knew it was the best she could expect. She nodded back. "Be careful out there, Jay." It should have been a good-bye, but she couldn't get her feet to move.

 _I still want you,_  he thought in answer, licking his lips but nodding as well. What he knew was right warred with what he craved.  _Tell her you'll go. Just one last hunt. Just tell her-_

 _He won't even say good-bye_. Feeling numb, she finally turned, walking through the door.

* * *

Jo gritted her teeth as she opened the door, her knee flaring with pain. Her jeans felt a lot tighter there than usual. Taking a deep breath, she took her thigh in both hands, shifting her left leg out the door, wincing as her foot hit the ground. Okay. Walking was going to be problematic. She looked back into the car, the one spot of light in the quickly darkening dusk. Oddly enough, she didn't have a convenient cane sitting in the back.

Leaning heavily on the shotgun, the barrel crunching against the gravel drive, Jo tried to keep all her focus on the front door to block out the pain and spinning sensation in her head. The walk seemed a lot farther than she remembered, but she made it, her vision blurring as she rang the door bell. As it opened, she gritted her teeth, looking up. The front of her shirt was brown with blood, and even from his angle, Jay could see stiff clumps of hair at the back of her head were the same color. Her teeth were gritted in a grimace, her breath heaving in her chest. Even with the shotgun against the ground, she would have been a menacing sight, if her eyes weren't so unfocused.

"Jesus Christ," Jay breathed, immediately moving forward and sliding an arm around her. He didn't wait for a response, taking it a step further and sweeping her up in a carry to bring her into the house and toward the bathroom.

"What happened?"

She whimpered at the burst of pain; bending her knee again felt even worse than straightening it had. "It-One of 'em- He was pretty quick," she said, her hands gripping to his shirt.

Jay felt trepidation screaming in his head as he carefully set her down on the toilet seat, immediately bending to turn the water on in the bathtub before going under the sink to pull out the first aid kit.

"Where's Ronnie?"

She could feel her heartbeat throbbing in her knee and head, closing her eyes against the bright light. And to avoid looking at him. "I- I tried to stop 'im, but I... My head, couldn't get up quick, an' he was already goin' and...and I tried, but I couldn't," she tried to explain rubbing her hands over her face, trying to stop seeing it over and over as she talked. "It happened too fast, I wasn't-"

Jay felt the imminent pang of loss in his chest instantly, and he forced himself to close his eyes and breathe for a few moments. He hadn't known Ronnie well, but they'd hunted at least twice together, and he had always been helpful in a pinch if he needed an extra set of hands for something. The idea that he was gone was almost foreign.

"You took him out, right after?" Jay prompted, moving his hands to help her undress.

"After, yeah," she said, her hands trying to help pull the shirt over her head but getting in the way more than anything. Whether or not she was aware of it, she made a small audible noise when her arm got stuck behind her head. Jay's brow wrinkled in worry.

"You probably have a concussion," he said in a low voice, moving to help her remove the shirt before going to turn off the water. He was back after just a quick lean-over. "We'll clean you up and then get you to a hospital."

She grabbed his hand, squinting at him, but her voice was firm. "No, s'alright. It's not that bad. Just need some sleep."

"Yeah, you're sayin' that now," he warned, frowning and gently tugging his hand free. She still was wearing most of her clothes, as well as her bra. He forced himself not to focus too hard on her nudity. "When your face is in a place not meant for faces tomorrow, you'll wish you'd listened to me."

Her squint turned to confusion. "Huh?"

"Puking your guts out," he clarified, unsnapping her bra easily before moving to her jeans. This was where the challenge was going to be, but from what he could tell at least she didn't have any open wounds on her neck, chest, or stomach.  _Ronnie's blood was on her clothes,_  he thought sadly, frowning to himself.

When she felt the bra go loose, her arms snapped tight against her chest, holding the fabric there. Part of her knew she was being ridiculous, but the rest of her didn't care what that part thought. "I c'n- I think I can do it myself."

"Don't be stupid," Jay chastised her gently, dropping down to undo her boots. "If you fall over and kill yourself in my bathroom, your mom'll think it was my fault."

Jo's chest hitched with a silent laugh, but her smile slowly faded as she watched him. "Mom liked Ronnie," she said quietly.

"Me, too," he replied in a similar tone, pulling each boot off easily along with the socks. "Gotta get your jeans off now."

She frowned but nodded, freeing up one hand to take his shoulder so she could stand just enough off the toilet for him to slide the pants past her thighs. She hissed with pain when he did, sitting down hard; she could feel every brush and crinkle in the jeans as they shifted against her knee. Rather than do it slowly and prolong it ( _Why in God's name do women wear such tight jeans?_  he thought), Jay bunched up the denim as best as he could and pulled it down as one piece. Her knee was already a dark, angry reddish-blue mess.

"Right, then."

Jo let out a breath of relief when the jeans came off, though her knee still felt like it was on fire. Looking down, she understood why. "Shit, that's huge."

"You'll be able to brag about it later," he said with a half smile, standing up. "All right. Time to hobble."

She looked a little uncertain but finally dropped her arms, grabbing his shoulders to push herself to her feet. Well, foot; she kept her left leg all but hovering off the ground. Even standing, the blood rushing down, made her knee throb. Very, very carefully, Jay led her the few inches from the toilet to the bathtub, bracing himself with the wall and his foot against the side of it to help ease her in. It took much longer than either was comfortable with, but eventually she settled completely into the warm water. And even  _that_  made her knee sting.

"Fuck's sake," she muttered, gingerly lifting her leg and resting it up on the side of the tub. That was slightly better. With a sigh, she leaned back, and instantly winced as the tender back of her head hit the tub.

"Christ, woman," Jay said, pulling the shower curtain to cover most of her naked body from his view. "It's like you've never dealt with a concussion before. Can I leave you alone for five seconds to go get a cup to help you rinse, or will you drown?"

"Dunno, my track record with that's not too good," she said before sticking out her tongue at him. Looking down, she watched pink tendrils stain the water, drifting away from her hair. She grabbed a clump, setting to work getting the blood out properly. Pausing only a moment to watch her, concern visible in the lines on his forehead, Jay turned to head out through the open door and down the hall to get the cup from the cabinet above the sink.

It was worse being alone, her hair the only thing to distract her from unpleasant and foggy thoughts. She slid completely underwater, gingerly working her fingers through her hair before coming up again. She felt along the cut; it wasn't large, but it sure had created a lot of blood. By the time Jay came back, he found himself frowning deeper at the sight of her hair completely wet. It made the cup a bit useless just then.

"Whenever you're ready," he said, moving over to where she was with the bottle of iodine.

She sat up, trying to turn to a more helpful angle without straining her. "I can hold the hair outta the way," she said, hands already working to try to expose the right area of scalp. "It's mostly scabbed over."

Jay made a noncommittal noise, using a bit of wash cloth to pour some of the iodine in before gently dabbing at the cut. She made a face at the slight sting, but it was mostly for show. Not that he could really see her face of course, but she was a little short on logic just then. After a few seconds staring at the water, she said quietly, "Sorry I came here. Just...didn't know anyone closer."

"I'm just glad you're all right," he murmured in answer, finishing off before moving to sit back on the toilet seat. He was still frowning slightly.

She leaned back, her hands absentmindedly working the tangles and dried bits of blood from her hair, her elbows positioned in some attempt at modesty. It was too quiet again, too much room to think. "So how're you?" she said, just desperate for some noise.

"Compared to... two days ago?" he asked after a moment, counting the days off on his hand. "Not too different. A little worse now, actually." He paused, his frown deepening. "I should've came."

She turned her head to look at him. "Don't do that," she said quietly. "Two was plenty. I fucked up, not you."

"Might've increased your chances of not looking like a bloody rag doll," he replied, running a hand over his face and leaning over his knees. "Make sure to wash up, you."

She reached over, her wet hand resting on his arm. "'m not a rag doll," she said gently. "Just 'cause you take care of me a lot doesn't mean I'm not the one responsible for what happens to me. You shouldn't feel bad, 'specially not over me."

He winced at the touch, but found himself looking up at her through his mussed bangs, concern still written all over his face.  _Easier said,_  he thought in answer, giving a weak smile he didn't feel. She gave his arm a squeeze, wishing she could make him feel better. She hadn't even thought, coming here, that he'd feel guilty for it. Though she hadn't been thinking much at all then; she'd just wanted to be safe.

"Got any Tylenol?" she said after a while, smiling slightly.

That brought a slightly more prominent wince, and he quickly stood up from the toilet seat. "Shit, I'm sorry," he apologized, going to the small medicine cabinet mirror and opening it to retrieve the bottle.

That had nearly the exact opposite effect she'd been going for. "No, Jay, don't, don't be sorry," she said quickly. "All you done for me, don't be sorry."

"Got distracted," he mumbled, shaking out four and grabbing a small paper cup to fill with cold water at the tap before bringing both to her.

"Thanks," she said, downing the pills two at a time. It felt like they sank to the bottom of her empty stomach, but it would definitely be better than nothing. She grabbed up the bar of soap. "I'm gonna just finish up real quick. Hair was the worst of it."

"Good," he replied, sinking back on to the toiletseat again. For a brief instant, he thought about the scent of his soap on her skin, and his stomach did a strange sort of twist. "Probably not a good idea to eat anything, but I can make some broth or something."

"That sounds great," she said with a pleased hum. Anything would be divine. As she got to her legs, she realized they had a good few days' worth of stubble on them, and blushed. And then she blushed deeper thinking how ridiculous it was that she'd be embarrassed by a bit of hair. She sped up, though the knee slowed her down, but it wasn't long until she was as clean as she was going to get. The whole tub of water had a pink tint to it now.

Jay took the time she spent washing and snuck out long enough to get a clean, dark-colored towel, too afraid to stain one of the better ones. When he returned she was looking up at him, and he found himself chewing the inside of his cheek in worry. It would be harder to get out than in, and then she would be very warm and wet, and relatively close.  _Get it together,_  he told himself harshly. "You got clean clothes in the car?"

 _The car_. Her expression blanched. She'd blocked that out so well that she'd nearly forgotten it herself. "Yeah, in the back seat," she said, swallowing. "Had to make room in the trunk."

Jay looked at her seriously. "Okay, I'll bite. Why is that?"

She looked up at him in surprise. "I thought I..." She scowled, trying to think back. She couldn't remember telling him, but then things were a bit fuzzy. "I meant to tell you. Right away," she said, looking a bit sheepish, her voice getting quieter. "'s Ronnie."

Jay blinked at her a few times, looking confused. Then realization dawned on his face, and his eyes went wide.

"You  _BROUGHT_ him  _HERE?_ "

She shrunk back in surprise, hugging her arms. "I-I couldn't leave him there," she said, confusion written on her face.

"You couldn't- You-" he gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "You go to my room and lay down. I will put soup on the stove, but you will not move until I've dealt with this. Jesus Christ..."

"'m sorry," she said, feeling ridiculous and small. She grasped the sides of the tub, maneuvering her good leg under her to try to ease herself up. Jay moved the towel around her once he had enough space to do so, helping her slip out of the tub carefully. Once she was out however, he grabbed her keys from her jean pocket and headed toward the kitchen. Jo just stood there a while, shocked and confused. She wasn't sure why it was such a big deal; they dealt with bodies all the time. Granted, usually they didn't drive them around in their cars, but she'd wrapped him in a tarp. She couldn't see that big of a problem.

Tucking the towel tightly around her, she used every door frame, wall, and flat surface she came across to help her hobble to the bed. Once the soup was on the stove, Jay all but ran out to his garage to get the gas can and bag of road salt. That done, he went to the trunk of the car. With great discomfort he popped it open, his stomach twisting up in remorse and disgust at the body rolled up into the space. It was no wonder she'd busted her leg up trying to lug the body in. Gathering the tarp up with a grunt of effort, Jay pulled it bodily out and onto the ground, then dragged it to where he'd set the gas and salt. It was only a few moments before the body was in flames.

It didn't take long for the adrenaline to stave off, and Jay looked down at the blood that had gotten onto his own clothes. He would need to strip her trunk and clean it as well, and quickly. The hospital was just going to have to wait. Jo was lying in bed, still in a towel, knee propped up on a pillow, when Jay came rushing in with a bowl of broth. He set it on the side table and was gone so quickly she didn't even have a chance to open her mouth. Sitting up groggily, Jo sipped at the soup, knowing she should get something in her but every part of her just wanting to sleep.

It took another thirty minutes to strip the carpeting from the car and, too worried that there wouldn't be a good way to salvage it, he chucked the whole bit in the fire Ronnie's body provided. Jay knew he could fix the carpeting, if it even mattered at that point. When it was all finished he went back into the house, set the deadbolts, and went to take a quick shower. He moved into his room with only the towel around his waist, shuffling through his dresser to find a clean shirt and boxers.

Jo had been drifting off, the half-finished bowl of soup back on the table, when she heard him wander in. She opened her eyes slowly and was met with a not-unpleasant view of his back. She stared openly, too out of it to be embarrassed. He kept his back to her the entire time, feeling better now that the house was properly locked up. After a bit of thought he figured it would be better if they left in the morning in his truck, that way he could come back and fix her car while they tended her in the hospital. As long as the test proved she wasn't too badly concussed, he could take care of her for a few days. She would undoubtedly spend most of it sleeping, anyway.

Her voice was quiet when she finally spoke. "Wassit bad?"

"Not as bad as I figured," he said finally, hiking up a pair of sweat pants before pulling on his shirt. "I'm more afraid that they're tracking you."

That set her heart at a gallop; nothing like someone sharing what you thought were your own paranoid fears. "We got 'em," she said, as much to convince herself as anyone. "All's there, we-I got the one who got Ronnie an' ev'rything."

Jay turned to look at her, feeling the heat rise in his face at her words. Had he burned the carpet for nothing?  _Nah, better to just get clean carpet. Start fresh,_  he told himself.

"Y'think you can handle the night?" he asked carefully. "I can get you by the hospital in the morning."

She shook her head. "I don't wanna go there. I'm fine."

"And you're slurrin'," he countered, brows raised slightly.

"I'm tired," she said, sitting up as though that would prove she was fine. "Don't like hospitals and don't have the money."

"If you throw up in my bed," he countered, brows still raised as he looked at her critically.

"Won't, promise," she said, raising a hand of oath, which caused the top of her towel to slip a bit. She quickly grabbed it, covering up, before looking at him. "You grab my clothes? Or got some I can borrow." Jay's eyes moved to the slip, but they were quickly up again.

"Already locked up, but..." he turned, opening a drawer and pulling out one of his shirts and a pair of boxers. The thought that accompanied the action was distracting, but he ignored it as he tossed the clothes lightly toward her. "I'll be on the couch if you need me."

"What? No, I don't-" She cut herself off, knowing her objection was selfish and would probably set him in a bad mood. Swallowing, she changed tactics. "I'll take the couch. Could sleep anywhere right now, and it'd prob'ly be better for proppin' my leg up, too."

Jay paused to look at her, his expression unreadable before finally shaking his head a little. "I insist."

She bit her tongue, too lucid to say what she wanted, especially after all he'd done for her.  _Been nothing but a whiny brat_. "Alright," she said, nodding and looking down at the clothes in her hands.

Something about her body language was too loud, and Jay felt some of the fight drain out of him when the towel inched off her left shoulder just a little bit.

"What?" he asked quietly, standing half in the room and half out of it.

 _You'd hate me for it_. Not now, not when things might actually be mending between them. "Just, you got me thinking. 'Bout maybe we missed one." It wasn't a lie. That though had been crossing her mind quite a lot as well.

"I won't let anything hurt you," he said emphatically, his expression suddenly very serious.

"I know," she said, meeting his eyes, a warmth swooping to her abdomen. The towel slipped a little lower, and even Jo wasn't entirely sure it was an accident.

"I can sleep on the floor, if you want," he said at last, his stomach clenching.  _But I'm not sleeping in that bed with you. I can't,_  he added inwardly.

 _For once, think of him first_. She shook her head. "No, couch is more comfortable. I'll be fine, I'm fine. Just still a little..." She made a fluttery little gesture with her hand, smiling slightly.

"I'll grab a chair, then," he said, heading out through the door.

"Jay, don't-" but he was already gone. She sighed, pulling the shirt over her head. She was a bit disappointed that it only smelled like detergent. The boxers were a little difficult to handle, and she did a bit of squirming, lifting her hips one side at a time to get them on. Jay waited a bit longer than needed in order to bring the chair in, knowing she needed to dress, by getting his rifle from where it was resting in the umbrella rack by the door. That done, he came back in the room, looking a bit more tired now than previously.

Jo scowled, pausing in her attempt to untuck a cover enough to pull it over her. "You need sleep too, y'know."

"I can sleep standing up. Trust me," he replied, pulling the chair up to the edge of the bed so that his long legs could rest on the mattress at least.

She rolled her eyes but settled back on the pillow with a sigh; now that smelled like him, even through the smell of her own damp hair. "I don't know if I said 'thank you' already," she said after a moment, her eyes half-closed. "But thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, slipping his feet under the blanket and pulling it halfway up his lap. "Tap the light on the night stand. It'll go out."

Jo reached over, the room going dark, and she felt another surge of gratitude. The feel of his feet on the mattress, just out of reach of her toes, made all the difference in the world. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes, already drifting.

It didn't take long to fall asleep, but it felt like no time at all before he felt her struggling in the blankets in an attempt to throw them off, a low moan cutting through the fog in his mind. He knew instantly what was wrong, and was quickly at her side and half guiding, half carrying her down to the toilet. He pulled up both the lid and the seat, gathering her hair out of her face for her. Her hands leaned heavily on the sides of the toilet as she heaved, the contents coming up mostly liquid. She had enough time for a spit and a gasp of air before her stomach shuddered again, the convulsions worse before she vomited again. This one burned through the whole of her throat, the aftertaste making her shudder and gag, but the nausea had subsided. She spit, shifting to her hip and staring miserably at the bowl with half-closed eyes.

Jay gave a small, sympathetic sigh as he got another paper cup, filled it with water and handed it to her. At least now she would be on the upside. He would need to make her more soup and maybe some applesauce and crackers to settle her stomach; being empty was bad for the healing process.

"Here."

"Thanks," she said, swishing and spitting a couple times. "Least I didn't stay on your bed, right?"

That brought a small smile, and once she did her last spit he flushed the toilet, bending to help her stand again.

"C'mon. Dad used to give me apple sauce whenever I was puking sick. Should make you feel better."

"God, I've really regressed to five, haven't I?" she said, leaning on him heavily as they headed for the kitchen. "Sorry you're stuck babysitting."

"I don't mind," he said with an amused tone, setting her at the kitchen table. "I keep apple sauce as a comfort food for that reason. I don't care how gay that makes me sound."

She gave a light snort though her expression softened. "S'not gay. It's sweet," she said with a small smile, eyes following him to the fridge. After a pause, she asked, "What's your dad like?"

Jay moved around the kitchen, getting the remainder of the soup and the jar of applesauce from the refrigerator. The soup he stuck in a bowl to reheat in the microwave, then he turned and started spooning apple sauce into a smaller bowl. He looked thoughtful the entire time.

"Well, uh. Kinda quiet. He can still cut you with his wit, when he can manage a word," he said with a crooked half smile, going to get a glass for water as an afterthought. "He used to work in the lumber mill. He's retired now, though. Mostly just goes fishin' and huntin' now. Not like, hunting-hunting," he said, his smile lengthening a little. "Just regular huntin'."

Her return smile turned into a perplexed frown. "How'd you get in the business, then?"

His smile was gone before the words were out of her mouth, and he conveniently turned away to get the beeping soup.

"My girlfriend and daughter were killed during a camping trip," he said in a low voice, his back still her. "A marabbecca attacked our fishing boat and they drowned."

Jo didn't move, but it felt like the whole world fell away around her. Everyone had their story; she'd been around hunters long enough to know that if you walked into Harvelle's Roadhouse, you'd been through some serious shit. But for some reason Jay hadn't felt a part of that. He was young, cocky, sometimes annoying as hell and sometimes unbelievably caring. She'd just assumed he wasn't like most of the men who came to the roadhouse. _You assumed he was like you._  She'd never felt more like a spoiled little brat.

Swallowing around a lump in her throat, she said clearly, heavily, "I'm sorry."

Jay loaded up a tray with the water, soup, and apple sauce, bringing it around to her with a neutral expression, neither sad nor happy. "It's okay."

She wanted to say more, to try to explain herself, to go back over the past few months and redo everything. He'd had a daughter, he'd had a whole other life that she hadn't even bothered to imagine could exist. But she knew there was nothing she could do to make it better. "Thank you," she said quietly, focusing on the apple sauce.

Jay sat across from her, eyes traveling over her bowed head down to his third favorite comfortable shirt, over her farmer's tanned arms to her long-fingers hands as one picked up the spoon. He inhaled and exhaled slowly before returning to his normal breathing. "It was a long time ago. Everyone gets into this somehow. I've made my peace."

She nodded, looking up at him. "I know," she said, swirling the apple sauce before she took a bite.

"Then don't look so glum," he replied, giving her a light kick in the ankle with the side of his socked foot.

She gave him a soft smile but quickly focused on the food again. "You can go to bed," she said. "Don't want to keep you up."

"Last time I checked, I was still 30," he mused, chuckling quietly. "I still have to help your gimpy ass back to bed."

"Thirty's still an old fart. And my ass ain't never been gimpy," she said with a smirk. "If you're not gonna sleep, then eat something at least. I feel like I'm on display here."

Jay bit his lip in an effort to keep the silly argument from becoming something slightly less silly, standing from the chair and heading back into the kitchen to get something. Beer sounded good about then. She smiled slightly, finishing off the apple sauce before going for the soup. It had cooled a little but still felt good going down. When he came back with the beer, she laughed.

"Not exactly food, but guess it's acceptable."

"That's right," he replied matter-of-factly, twisting off the cap and taking a gulp from the bottle.

After a few more spoonfuls, she asked, "So this mean you're going to make me go to the hospital in the morning?"

"We'll see," he replied, suddenly getting back up and going back into the kitchen again. He came back with a bag of peas wrapped in a dish towel. "Put this on your knee."

"Oh yeah; that'd be smart," she said, taking it with a laugh. She grabbed one of the spare chairs, lifting her leg up onto it. Balancing the peas on her knee, she went back to the soup. Jay settled back as well, sipping on his beer and watching her idly. There was an awkwardness to the situation, him taking care of her and her in his clothes, sleeping in his bed, after what had happened between them. That he'd pushed it to the back of his mind as easily as he did bothered him a little. She'd lied to him. She'd blamed him for her own slip in judgment. The more he thought, the more the frown that had been lurking in his face became deeper and more prominent.  _You should tell her to go once you fix the carpet in the trunk of her car tomorrow,_ he told himself.  _She'll be fine. She doesn't need to linger. You just want her here because you're jonesing for her._  
  
After the silence had gone on quite a while, she glanced up. Why the frown? Should she ask? Or was it something none of her business? "You all right?" she asked, hoping that was innocent enough.

Jay's eyes refocused on her and he took a sip from his beer, nodding. "Yeah. Fine."

 _Alright then._  Not about to press him, she set the spoon down. "'m ready when you are."

"I'll come back for the peas," he replied, setting the beer on the table and coming around to help her stand.

She took his arm, trying not to depend on him too much, though the going was slow. They made it to the bedroom and she sat down with a sigh of relief. As soon as she settled, he went back just as he claimed, bringing her the peas and helping her under the covers again.

"I'm going to clean up and I'll be back in a bit," he replied. "Try and get some sleep."

"Alright," she said, though she didn't feel nearly as tired as before. What she felt was a bit ridiculous. He shouldn't be taking care of her; she shouldn't have even asked him to. But when she got in the car, there'd been no question where she was going. Letting out a long breath, she closed her eyes, trying not to think too much. Jay headed out, pausing and leaning against the wall for a moment with a deep frown on his face.

"You idiot," he muttered aloud, shaking his head at himself as he went to the kitchen to clean up. Maybe he'd sleep on the couch after all.

* * *

The sun was bright when Jo finally woke up. Jay was nowhere to be seen. She sat up groggily and became seriously aware of her bladder.

"Great," she groaned, sliding out of bed and trying to hurry. The bag of peas fell to the floor but she wasn't going to bother with them now. The chair he'd sat in before helped getting her to the door, and from there she only had about two steps across the hall where there wasn't anything to hold onto. They were a very ginger two steps, but she made it. There was evidence that the shower had recently been used by the fact that the mirror was still a bit fogged up and the air in the bathroom felt a bit thick. Finishing, she followed the wall to the living room, raising an eyebrow when she looked in. There he was, asleep on the couch. She glanced back at the bathroom, then at him again. He couldn't have been on the couch for long, but she wasn't going to try to wake him now. He had a rough enough night.

Keeping to the wall, she made her way to the kitchen. She was only just getting the milk out of the refrigerator and turning when she saw him in the archway, dark circles under his eyes.

"Hey, you go to bed," she said, her voice quiet despite the words. "I'll be quiet."

"You feelin' okay?" he asked in a scratchy voice, moving past her to get the juice carton on the inside of the door.

"I'm fine.  _You_  look like hell," she said, grabbing a bowl from the cabinets. "You got cereal?"

"Below," he said, giving the cabinet a nudge with his toe as he reached for a glass.

She grabbed a box, not real picky, glancing at him before she poured it in the bowl. "Trouble sleeping?"

Jay shrugged slightly, filling the glass and returning the carton to the fridge. It was obvious, really. "I called the shop and let them know I wasn't comin' in today."

"You didn't need-" She stopped herself short. Of course he didn't want to go in, he was exhausted. It didn't have to be because of her.

"I'm tired anyway," he replied, having a vague idea how the sentence was going to end. "You can bum around as long as you need to."

She wasn't sure what to make of the statement, but it felt too final, like he was leaving and didn't expect to see her when he got back. She took a breath, turning to him, the cereal forgotten. "Look. I wanted-"  _No._  She restarted. "I'm sorry, for dragging you through my shit again. You always- I seem to keep comin' to you when I'm at my lowest, and it's not fair to you, not with..." She licked her lips. "I just- I want you to know I can be better than what you keep seeing from me. At least, I'm trying to be."

"Everybody's human, Jo," he replied in a quiet voice, shoving his hands into the worn pockets of his sweat pants. He felt a hole in the left one, and fingered it subconsciously. "I'm not gonna hold it against you."

She shook her head, her gaze hovering around his chest. "You should. I shouldn't have done that to you; I should have been straight forward and laid it all out but I-" She blinked back tears.  _Not now, godammnit_. "I was being a selfish brat. I wanted you without havin' to go through hurtin' him, and instead I hurt you. That's the last thing I wanted."

The words were enough to pierce through the nonchalance, and Jay broke eye contact, visibly flinching. "I'm... fine. I'll be fine."

She instinctively reached for his arm but stopped herself short, realizing it probably wouldn't be welcome. Taking a breath, she knew she couldn't say what she really wanted to ask, so she tried the next best thing. "When I go home, I've got-I'm going to have a talk with Chase. You were right; I'm not bein' fair to him either. I wanna try to make things right."

Jay closed his eyes, swallowing and shaking his head slowly. "Don't..." he started, though his heart wasn't in it. He would've been lying to himself and to her if he said he didn't want what she was saying.  _It's because of me,_ a small, hopeful voice whispered in his head.

The word dropped through her like a chunk of ice, feeding the fear that she had screwed up too badly before. That he didn't want her any more. She turned to the counter, popping open the milk and pouring it into her bowl. "I've made up my mind," she said, a bit hollow. "It's better. For him and for me."

Her words put movement into him, and for a moment he felt entirely out of his own body as he moved forward, turned her gently by the shoulder, and found her mouth with his. Even with his gentleness, the move surprised her so much she wrenched her knee, but the pain didn't matter. The entire world might as well have melted away the moment his mouth found hers. Her hand slid behind his neck, wanting to hold him there forever. The little touch was enough to bring him back to himself, and Jay deepened the kiss, his own hand sliding into her hair and twisting the strands between his fingers. He pushed her lightly backward into the edge of the counter, his other arm snaking around her waist to pull her flush against him. She gave a soft whimper against his mouth, the small pangs getting mixed in with the pleasure and overwhelming joy. She almost couldn't trust it, as though he might pull away any moment and say he changed his mind. Fighting that fear, her hand slid into his hair, her hips shifting slightly but firmly against him. There was a moment where he could feel the emotions shift, desperation becoming more and more evident, and even with her hand twisted just as tightly into his own hair he broke the kiss, his mouth remaining close to hers despite it.

"You promise?" he breathed, his voice gravelly.

"Wha...?" The kiss left her a bit breathless and dizzy, and it was a moment before what he was asking hit her. Part of her ached, knowing that she'd broken his trust before. Her other hand came up, cupping his cheek. "Yes. Promise. It's you."

Jay closed his eyes more tightly, the raw emotions in him making him tear up despite himself though he managed to just hold it back. Instead he eagerly resumed the kiss, embracing her tightly despite the knowledge of her body aches. Her fingers tightened in his hair at the pain but she didn't pull away, just wanting to be close to every part of him, whatever the price. The hand at his cheek slid down and under the hem of his shirt, her cool hand exploring his warm back before finding a grip on his shoulder. The memory of her previous night's injury slowly resurfacing, Jay lessened the desperation in his hold. The kiss, however, never waned in intensity. He nipped her lower lip, pressing into her hands eagerly and yearning for each touch. Making little noises of appreciation, Jo pressed her hips into his more eagerly, difficult to do with her weight on one leg but manageable. She nipped his lip back before cautiously pressing past with her tongue. She was met with little hesitancy, a low groan wrenching out of Jay as he momentarily tightened his embrace around her once more and deepened the kiss further. Languishing in the kiss a while, Jo soon couldn't stand it, wanting more. She pulled back, leaning a bit painfully against the counter to grab the hem of his shirt, pulling it off. His hair went wild as his head went through the opening at the top, and for a moment his expression was conflicted.

"You're hurt," he contested, frowning a little, "and it's... I'm..."

Jo felt a throb of guilt; she hadn't even questioned the move, but the look on his face... "Sorry," she said, swallowing, the shirt still clutched in her hands. "Wasn't thinking. Just... We don't have to..."

He broke up her words with a large yawn, his head ducking a little to prevent her having to stare down his throat as he did so. A small laugh broke out of him despite himself. "I'm sorry," he said apologetically, leaning in and kissing her firmly but briefly on the mouth. "I'm useless right now."

She relaxed, her pounding heart slowing down. "Tried to tell you to sleep before," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. "Go on, bed's all yours."

"Come with me?" he asked, his voice almost boyish-sounding in its request. It was sweet and sent a little thrill down her back.

 _Wasn't really hungry anyway_. "Sure," she said, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. With surprising ease he slid his arms around her, one arm hooking her knees as he lifted her straight off the ground again and started toward his room. She made a surprised noise, though through gritted teeth; the knee seemed to object to any goddamned movement. Her arms instinctively went around his neck, her breath coming out in a laugh.

"Guess I do take a while tryin' to walk."

"Good thing you're only 90-sum pounds," he teased faintly, nudging the door open with his foot and leaning back into it to close it once they were inside. The light immediately dimmed, as the curtain was drawn over the windows.

She gave a light snort at that. As he set her on the bed, something on the ground caught her eye. "Oh shit, the peas. Forgot all about those." Jay turned to look at them as well, then gave a small laugh.

"Don't worry. Those are my injury peas. Can't stand 'em."

She smirked, settling back against her pillow. "Aw, well then, they deserve the floor!"

Jay moved to the other side of the bed, tugging the covers back and sliding beneath them. "I'll stick 'em in the freezer when I wake up."

Jo wanted to turn on her side to face him but that would be more involved than it was worth. She settled for turning her head. "If you settle on your stomach, I can give you a back rub. Not gonna be a strong one, but still."

"Don't you worry about me," he replied, curling against her and slipping his arm around her.  _I'll be happy if you're still here when I wake up,_  he added inwardly.

She let out a long breath as she closed her eyes, his arm warm and comfortable. She wasn't exactly tired, but he was, so sleep was about the only option. Slowing her breathing, she tried to empty her head of the thoughts that were rushing to her in the silence.

Jay pressed an absent kiss to her shoulder, and it felt like only seconds before he was drifting asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

The limp wasn't entirely out of her walk yet. Well, it was when she concentrated so hard every muscle was tense and she walked with the speed of an arthritic seventy-year-old. Either way, there was no hiding that she was at least somewhat injured. But Ellen must have really been relieved that Jo was back to herself; she didn't even question Jo's request to talk about things later.

It was late; even Ellen had just been doing the final check on the wards. Part of Jo really didn't want to confront Chase now, not in the bedroom;  _their_  bedroom. What if he was asleep? She couldn't exactly join him. Gritting her teeth, she went through the door, closing it quietly behind her. Chase was resting in bed, a laptop set up in his lap with a few notebooks near the side of him, collecting information for cases. It was the only way he felt actively involved in a world he'd spent most of his life in, and while not the preferred method, it got him by at least. He was helping. Every so often he had the privilege of a few weeks of Latin lessons to new hunters who needed to learn. The one thing going for the man was that he was patient, and he never talked down to people starting out. The way things were now, new hunters were better than no hunters. Or worse, dead hunters. At the sound of the door opening and shutting, Chase looked up, a flicker of a smile in his expression.

"Hey, stranger."

Jo gave a quick smile though it didn't reach her eyes. "Hey. Glad you're up. Been meaning to talk to you." She sat on the foot of the bed, her side, mentally going over the speech she'd thought up in the 14 hour drive.

Chase closed up the laptop at her words, the smile gone and replaced with something between apprehension and concern. "What's up?"

 _Shit shit shit._  She'd never had to do this; she didn't even know how. "There's..." She rubbed her forehead. "I think- We haven't been the same, lately. Not for a long while. I mean, we don't even... We're not what we used to be. Right?"

Chase's expression changed a third time, apprehension and concern gone in exchange for a dark frown. "I was wondering when this was going to come up."

"I should have brought it up sooner, I just-" she said quietly, shaking her head. Steeling herself, she looked up, eyes refusing to leave his. "The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, Chase."

He scowled halfway through the last sentence, pushing the laptop off his lap to keep from throwing it in the seething rage taking over him. He knew it was his fault. Hell, he selfishly hung on to her, knowing he couldn't provide her with what she wanted anymore. He was hardly half a man anymore, and the fact that she'd stayed with him as long as she had was making him more and more paranoid about how long they would last. Her hunting again just proved it to him. He should've ended it then, but he'd been greedy.

There was something else to this story, though. There had to be. He searched her eyes, looking for it, and found a shadow of guilt lurking just beneath the surface. His scowl deepened.

"How long?"

The guilt flashed clear, just a moment.  _No, he can't mean that_. "How long what?"

"How about you tell me?" he countered, his suspicions doubled by the evasiveness in her question.

Her jaw tightened. "Chase, this isn't about anyone else. This is about you and me, alright?  _We_  aren't working."

"Maybe," he started, his nerves prickling at her tone. She always got angry and defensive when there was something she was keeping from anyone. He knew that very well of her. "But I think it's a  _little_  about someone else, too. How about you tell me about that?"

"Why?" she said, just short of snapping. "What good is that going to do?"

Her answer satisfied his burning curiosity, but she was also right on the money. If anything, the idea of her being with anyone else aside from him only made him angrier. With a huff, he threw the blanket off his legs and pushed himself up, twisting so he could slide sideways into his chair. "Aside from make me hate you?" he snarled, landing in the chair roughly and flipping up the brake.

Jo was at her feet in an instant, standing between him and the door. "Where are you going?"

"To get a damn drink. I'm going to need one when you go into your spiel about how much you love me but aren't in love with me anymore," he replied. "Get out of my way."

The words hit home but she didn't budge. "You're not in love with me either," she said, a waver to her words. "I didn't- Don't pretend I'm the only one who's changed."

"Of  _course_  I've fucking changed!" he shouted vehemently, throwing his arms out. "I'm in a fucking  _wheelchair!_  I can't do  _shit_  for you anymore!" Violence roared on inside him, but he couldn't even do that, and it only made him angrier. "And don't you go tellin' me what I feel! Fuck you!"

"You think that's what this is?" she snapped. "You think a fucking wheelchair is what drove us apart? It didn't matter to  _me_ ; that's not the change that's the problem! We don't talk! We don't even try anymore! You don't fucking  _trust_  me!"

"Oh, Jesus Christ, here we go," he said, all but rolling his eyes at her.

"What? For once, say what you want to say to me!"

"As far as your concerned,  _nobody_  fucking trusts you!" he spat, fists clenches on the handles of the wheels. "Maybe you've got no reason  _to_  be trusted, huh!"

She opened her mouth to snap back but nothing came out. After all she'd done, she couldn't think of a goddamned thing. She stepped sharply out of his way to sit on the bed, wrenching her knee on the way.  _Fucking deserved that_.

"Thank you," he replied roughly, flinging the door open and rolling swiftly down the hall toward the bar.

Jo didn't follow, her hands in fists on the bed, her face pulled taut in a frown. It was going all wrong. She focused on her breathing, trying to calm down, think straight, maybe even get back to the speech she'd prepared but apparently completely forgotten. He didn't give her much time to think, however; he rolled back in and all but slammed the door when he threw it closed, a bottle of Jim Bean tight between his thighs. Rather than roll back toward the bed, he backed up into the door so he had a potential escape route.

"Where were you?" he asked, bitter sarcasm in his voice.

Her fists clenched tighter but she didn't look at him. "Job with Ronnie went south. Got banged up," she said, her voice hollow. "I went to- I went to the nearest hunter I knew."

"Bet you did," he replied, twisting the cap off the bottle and taking a deep swig from it. "Am I supposed to guess who it was?"

"It was Jay," she said, her voice clipped. She wanted to be angry at his tone, but she knew she didn't have the higher ground on this one. Chase gave a laugh around a mouthful of whiskey, swallowing before answering her.

"Why am I not surprised? You and Jay've been doing all sorts of hunts recently, haven't you?"

"Not recently," she snapped, finally turning to face him. "And before you ask, yeah, we grew pretty close. But this's got nothing to do with him."

"Bullshit," Chase grunted, taking another swig from the bottle. "I know you were in Oklahoma with him. I know he was down here because Ellen called him."

"If you hadn't-" She stopped short; no, she was  _not_  blaming him. "Look, Oklahoma was months ago. Whatever's between me and Jay, it didn't start any problems between me and you. It's the other way around."

"Are you sleeping with him?" Chase asked bluntly.

She knew that one was coming, but her stomach still flip-flopped into knots. "No. But I did, once. It was a mistake, and I-"

"Spare me," he interjected icily. "Fuck, I knew it. I  _knew_  it."

"It was my fault and I'm sorry!" she said, tears springing to her eyes. "I just- There's no excuse, but if I could go back, I wouldn't have done things this way."

"Did he make you come?" he asked harshly, his hand tightening on the bottle's neck.

Her back tensed. "Give me the bottle," she said, her voice quivering with anger. "You've had enough."

"Did he?" he asked again, his voice sharper with the repeated question. He took another swig to spite her, his eyes never breaking from her face. "Did you dig your nails into his back as he fucked you? Make that little whine in the back of your throat right before you creamed? Huh? Did you?  _Did you?_ "

She got sharply to her feet, her body shaking as she glared at him. "Get out of my fucking way," she said between gritted teeth.

"You did, didn't you?" Chase sneered, shaking his head as he took another swig. "I bet you rode him like a pro. You were always fucking amazing."

She shook her head, the tears threatening to spill over. She knew he just wanted to hurt her; it didn't make it hurt any less. Taking a step forward, she reached to take the bottle away.

"See, what's fucking horrible about all this is I don't blame you," he said when she didn't reply, yanking it back and taking yet another gulp from it. His arm shook a little when he pulled it free from his lips. "Like I said. I can't do shit for you anymore. And he's a good lookin' guy, and a good hunter. But I still love you. I don't want you to leave me."

She stepped back, looking more stricken than if he'd hit her.  _No. No, no, no._  She'd thought the idea of him hating her had been painful, but this broke to her core. "Chase," she managed, her voice cracking as the tears finally fell. "You don't- We're just a habit, that's all. It's not-"

"Maybe. Probably," he replied, taking a swig from the bottle. "But it's true. If- if you wanna be open, maybe. I could... live with that."

Sitting slowly, she shook her head. "No you couldn't. I couldn't. It would tear us up inside."

Chase finally grimaced, dropping his head down and giving a little shudder. He was quiet for a long time before finally speaking, his voice breaking with emotion. "Okay."

Her chest hitched painfully, wanting to reach out to him, to take it all back. "Chase, I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears flowing unchecked. "I wish... I just want you to be happy. It wasn't fair, lying to you."

He gave a breath of a laugh, taking one last gulp from the bottle before holding it out to her. "I'll live."

She wiped at her eyes as she took it, taking a long drink. She coughed as she set it in her lap, shaking her head. She'd never felt more drained in her life.

"This mean you're firin' me, too?" he asked, his voice a little hollow.

"No," she said quickly, the word catching in her throat. "No. I'm gonna hit the road. Do hunting full time for a while."

His jaw tightened a little at her words, but he didn't argue with her. They were over. He had no say in her life anymore. Instead he nodded, eyes glued to his knees. The tears drying, though her chest still ached, Jo glanced at him. That was really all there was to say. She stood, bottle in hand. "I'm gonna put this away and then take one of the spare rooms. You should prob'ly get to bed."

"Right," he croaked in reply, rolling away from the door and out of her way toward his side of the bed again.

She paused at the door, looking at him. "Chase. I don't- If you want me to back off for a while, I understand. But I'm always here, if you need me. I don't just want you dropping out of my life."

Chase brought his eyes up to hers, which were a bit red-rimmed in an effort to keep from crying, and nodded, not trusting his voice. Swallowing hard, she left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She leaned heavily against the hallway wall, her hand covering her face as it crumpled, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Ellen had heard the parts of the argument shouted through the walls and cringed, knowing what was happening. Knowing it would eventually end, she cracked her door and waited. When she heard the sound of Jo's shallow inhales and exhales, she pushed the door open and peered around the corner, a concerned frown on her face. Jo hastily tried to pull herself together when she heard the door creak, but then she looked up. Her face crumpling again, she stumbled forward, the bottle sloshing as she threw her arms around her mom.

"Oh, honey," Ellen murmured, giving her a light tug into her room and shutting it with her foot behind them. For a while, Jo just cried, letting herself be led to sit on the bed. She hardly even noticed when Ellen pulled the bottle gently out of her hands, setting it on the nightstand.

"He still loves me," she finally said, tears still streaming but the sobs under control. "I thought- But I don't. I can't- And it  _hurts_."

"I know," Ellen soothed, running a hand in small circles on Jo's back. "Nothing you can do about it, either."

Jo shook her head, burying her face in Ellen's shoulder a moment before saying quietly, "I'm leavin'. 'Stead of him. It's only right."

"It is your place, you know," Ellen said gently. "I know what you're tryin' to do, hon, but that don't mean you should feel like you can't come back here."

"I'm gonna be back," Jo said, looking up at her. "It's not forever. Just...give him space. It's easier fer me to get around."

"Then there's nothin' wrong with what you're doin'," Ellen confirmed, giving her a small nod.

Jo let out a relieved breath, closing her eyes and holding her mom close. "Thanks." Ellen smiled sympathetically even though Jo couldn't see, returning her embrace just as tightly.

"I'll make sure he doesn't go rollin' himself off a cliff while you're gone. I think he's seen this comin', though," Ellen said quietly.

That got a glance from Jo. "Did you?"

"Little bit," Ellen confirmed. "Wasn't completely sure, but I could see the tension between you."

Letting out another breath, Jo slowly upwrapped her arms from Ellen. "Why's it got to be so hard?"

"Because life is, too," Ellen replied with a weak smile. "So it's gotta be even, y'know?"

That got a breath of a laugh. "Guess so." Jo rubbed her face with her hands. "It's been a helluva long day. Any spare rooms open?"

"You crazy?" Ellen replied, giving Jo's head a little ruffle. "You're sleepin' with me."

Jo's smile was small but relaxed. It'd been what she wanted but hadn't wanted to ask. Somehow Ellen was always good about doing that. "Thanks, Mom."

* * *

Jay was just coming up the drive when he saw another car there, familiar and a little startling to see so soon. He'd expected a lot more difficulty before finally seeing her again. With a slightly anxious air he killed the engine, slipping out through the driver's side door and crunching up the gravel walkway toward it. The driver's door opened as he neared, Jo stepping out. She smiled slightly at him as she leaned against the car door, though her eyes looked tired.

"Hey there."

"Hey," he replied in a similar tone, taking the risk and leaning in to kiss her.

The kiss was a surprise but not unwelcome, and Jo held it a little longer than he probably meant to. "Good to see you, too," she said, her smile more genuine. Jay returned the smile, nodding his head toward the direction of the house before setting off to the door.

"Didn't expect you so soon. You really need to start callin' a guy."

"Yeah, well," she said, taking his hand and stopping him before he got too far. "Pretty used to just comin' and goin', but I'll work on it. Wasn't just comin' for a visit, though." Her smile turned into more of a grimace. Jay stopped at the gravity of her words, looking at her with a somewhat concerned look.

"What's up? Something wrong?"

"No, no, I was just... Ronnie stuck pretty close to his family, and I didn't just wanna give them a phone call," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "I figure he had their address in his car or something, and then I figured if I was going to find his car I should prob'ly bring it to 'em. But that's not really a one-person job."

Jay frowned a little but nodded, tugging her along toward his house. "Just let me change my clothes and we'll head off, yeah?"

"Yeah," she breathed, relaxing a little as she followed him. "Thanks."

"It's thoughtful of you," he replied, pushing the key into each lock before opening the door. He never once let go of her hand.

"Workin' on that, too," she said, smiling slightly. That brought a small breath of a laugh, and he gave her hand a light squeeze before heading down the hall toward his bedroom.

"Make yourself comfortable for a bit. I'll be right out."

There weren't any real roads to the broken and abandoned barn the vampires had been nesting in. They bumped along, the occasional tree branch scraping along the car's roof. Jo squinted out the windshield, then down at the map propped on the dashboard. "I think that's the turn off there," she said. Jay guided the car carefully around the bend. Sure enough, Ronnie's car sat under a close canopy. It was strange, just sitting there, like seeing clothes walking around without a body. Jay frowned as he came up beside it, leaving the engine running.

"S'the key in there? Or am I gonna have to hotwire it?" he asked, looking at her.

"Dunno. Didn't get a chance to check his pockets," she said, taking a deep breath before she opened the car door. "I'll see."

Jay watched with a twinge of apprehension, nervous even though the vampires were gone. Even as she slid out of the car he gripped the handle of his gun in the holster, eyes watching her sharply. Jo's heart pounded in her ears, but she tried to keep her senses set on watchful rather than paranoid. First looking into the empty backseat, Jo found the driver's door unlocked and quickly slid in, closing it behind her. She checked the cupholders, a little flipout compartment in the arm, but she soon found the keys on the visor, attached with a rubberband and carabiner. Letting out a breath, she spotted a smaller key on the chain and assumed, correctly, it went to the glove compartment. Under a handful off fast food straws and napkins sat a little leather address book.

Closing the compartment, she looked around the landscape before getting out of the car, sliding back in next to Jay.

"This should be it," she said, hastily flipping through.

"Do you want to take it back to his family?" Jay asked, leaning to look over her shoulder as she flipped through the little address book.

"Yeah, 'course," she said, glancing at him before stopping at the address labeled 'Mom.' She grabbed the map. "Moberly. Not too far a drive from here, couple hours if the roads are good."

Jay gave a faint laugh, though there wasn't an ounce of humor in it. He'd never actually known Ronnie's last name. "I'll follow you."

* * *

The whole experience had been too much like out of old movies he'd watched with his dad about getting a military notice about a death in battle. Ronnie's mom had been stunned for the first few moments before bursting into tears, and after that she was inconsolable. They'd stayed long enough for her to calm down and call another family member to come by, and then they'd gotten back in the car, driving in silence back to Aurora. When they got back into the city limits, he finally spoke.

"Did you want to go to my place, or somewhere else?" he asked quietly.

The finger that had been unconsciously drawing circles on her thigh stopped. "Where else would we go?" she said, a slight croak to her voice.

"Somewhere happy. Chuck-E-Cheeses?" he offered, looking over at her briefly.

She gave a breath of a laugh, looking at him with an appreciative smile. "You always take me to the nicest places."

"Well, I could've said Dave and Busters, but Chuck-E-Cheeses seemed more appropriate. Kids and laughing and life and... you know?" he said, seeking out her hand with his right and threading their fingers together.

"And the crying and the yelling," she added, giving his hand a squeeze. "Think I wanna be someplace quiet right now."

"My place it is, then," he replied with a nod, continuing down Bypass 30 toward the outskirts of town.

The silence was more comfortable the rest of the drive, his palm warm against hers. As he pulled in beside her car and put it into park, she slid a hand behind his neck, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips. Jay returned it in kind, his free hand sliding up against her cheek and letting his thumb travel a small path against the skin. It was a slow kiss, not lacking in emotion, but relaxed and simply a reaffirmation that they were both still there. With a sigh, Jo pulled away from the kiss but didn't pull back, so close all she could see was his eyes.

"Thank you. For being there," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," he murmured in answer, nudging the side of his nose against hers.

Giving him another quick kiss, she pulled back completely, her hand following along the length of his arm before she opened the door and stepped outside. He wasn't far behind her, hitting the automatic lock before falling into step with her as they made their way toward the house. Now that the incident with Ronnie's family had passed, his mind circled around how freely she seemed to be giving her kisses. Did that mean that things were settled back at the roadhouse? She wasn't so much in a bad mood as a melancholic one, and he was afraid to press for answers.  _Let her tell in her own time._

"You hungry?" he asked, sliding the key into each of the locks before opening the door for them.

It wasn't something she'd thought about, but given the option, her stomach made it's choice known. "More like starvin'," she said with a smile as he let her in first.

"What you in the mood for? I've got..." he started, heading into the kitchen and opening the door to the refrigerator, "leftover pizza, if you want something right now, and I've got some elk I can thaw out, or... stuff in the cabinets?"

She gave a laugh. "I think I'll be on the safe side and stick to pizza."

"It's combination," he warned, tugging out the box and putting it on the counter before getting two plates. "Drinks are juice, water, coffee, or beer. Might be a bit early still for beer."

"Better a bit early than a bit late, right?" she said, her grin a bit forced. "Wouldn't say no to a bottle."

Jay hummed for a moment, looking thoughtful as he piled a few pieces of pizza onto the plate before putting them in the microwave. "Be right back," he said after a moment, heading to the side door of the house and disappearing through it.

Jo raised an eyebrow but gave a laugh as he came back, a non-beer bottle in his hand. "That is one fine lookin' specimen of whiskey there."

"Been keepin' it for rare occasions only," He replied with a half-smile, getting two tumbler glasses out before going to grab the ice tray in the freezer.

"They don't get rarer than this. 'Least I hope so." As the microwave went off, she got up, grabbing the food as he handled the drinks. Once the ice was in each glass and a small portion poured out for each of them, he went about adding a few pieces of pizza to his plate before sticking it into the microwave again.

"You're okay though, right?"

"Yeah. Best I can be, at least," she said, picking a piece of sausage off her pizza. There was silence as Jay waited for his pizza to reheat, and then rather than go to the kitchen table, he headed into the living room to sit on the sofa with the plate in his lap and the glass on the coffee table.

"I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too." She sat next him, her knee resting against his as she set her plate on the table, fiddling with her glass. Now seemed a good time as any. "Here as a free woman, too," she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Jay met her gaze, an unreadable look on his face for a moment before he reached for his glass to take a sip.

"You okay with that?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah. Yes, of course," she said, her eyes meeting his. "Just, never been on the dumper side of things before. Tougher than I thought."

"Always is," he replied with a weak smile, brushing his fingertips along her forearm before picking up one of the slices of pizza, folding it in half, and taking a bite. He chewed and swallowed before taking another sip of the whiskey. "Don't let it get you down too much, though. Whole point of a break up is that you didn't have what you wanted, right?"

 _He did, though_. Taking a sip of her own, she nodded. "You're right. Matter's settled right here; from now on, no looking back. Just straight ahead," she said with a smile, turning to face him more fully.

"Are you gonna be heading home soon?" he asked, examining her expression carefully as he asked the question.

Her smile stiffened, though she tried to keep her expression relaxed. "Not for a while, no. Thought I'd try the roadie life a bit."

"You pick a band yet?" he teased lightly, giving her a slightly crooked smile.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You always gotta mock me?"

"You make it so easy," he said playfully, putting his slice of pizza down in favor of taking her chin in his hand. "I can't help it."

She smiled, leaning a little closer with his touch. "Just too irresistible, huh?"

"Apparently," he replied, pressing his lips against hers.

She hummed against his mouth, any stress or worry melting away. Her free hand slid behind his neck, wanting the moment to linger. Jay let her lead, the hand holding the tumbler carefully putting it onto the coffee table to slide gently up her arm to rest against her shoulder. Jo followed his shift to put her glass down as well, deepening the kiss before her other hand came to trail down his chest. A small part of him wondered if it might've been too soon to jump back into the extreme that they'd been favoring so much recently, but truthfully her mouth felt too perfect fitted against his, and her touch derailed his thoughts. The hand that had been holding her chin moved to her shoulder, while the opposing one snaked around her waist to tug her a bit closer. Just shy of pressing up against him, her hand played with the hair at the base of his neck as she enjoyed the kiss for a few seconds more. She finally pulled back, though not too far, a little concern in her eyes.

"Think we should talk about this first," she said, smiling slightly. "For a change."

"Yeah," he exhaled, resisting the urge to cut her off. "Probably a good idea."

He was so warm, so close, and if she just leaned in... She pulled her hand away. That helped. "I was thinking..." she said, licking her lips. "Don't want to push things quickly."

Her licking her lips did not help him concentrate, but he nodded anyway. "Yeah."

She nearly laughed; clearly proximity wasn't helping conversation. She slid back, giving a few inches distance between them. "So what does that mean for you?"

 _More use of my imagination, I guess,_  he thought in answer, but he bit back the urge to say it aloud. It wouldn't be helpful. "Business as usual," he replied, reaching for the pizza again to have something to do with his hands. Besides, it was starting to get cold.

A smile quirked at her lips. "I meant what'd you consider not too quick. Unless you just wanna go back to us pretendin' each other don't exist." She stuck her tongue out at him with a smile.

"Oh," he replied sheepishly, feeling a faint flush burn over his face. "Uh... Well, I guess... I mean, we've- y'know, so- that's obviously too fast-"  _but amazing,_  he added inwardly. "I can cope with putting it on hold a while. S'fine. Do you, um... want a key?"

It was her turn to feel a bit warm. She hadn't expected that. Was it too tempting? "If you have an extra. I don't have to have one," she said, her voice non-committal. His brows rose a little at her answer, and after finishing the slice of pizza he'd let somewhat dangle from his hand he stood, going to the kitchen and the post where he kept his keys. She bit her lip with a smile, trying not to think of using the key to surprise him one day.  _Taking it slow, remember?_  Whatever that meant. She'd never really gone at any relationship with a whole lot of patience. Taking up her slice of pizza, she curled her feet under her as he came back.

"Just make sure to lock up whenever you're in or out," he said, taking one of her hands to press the key into her palm before closing her fingers over it.

At his touch her body whined, wanting to check if she really truly wanted to put off the sex part. "Thanks," she said, shifting her hips up to pocket the key. The move alone was far too suggestive, and with an inward protest Jay picked up his now-empty plate and tumbler of whiskey and moved to the chair not too far away from her. It helped, but he didn't like it.

"And don't eat all my food," he added, a playful smile on his lips.

Talking around a bite, she looked affronted. "'n what'd you give me the dad-gum key for?" She swallowed before grinning.

"Homebase," he replied with a laugh, sipping his whiskey again.

The thought had crossed her mind, but hearing it from him sent a warmth through her just a little different than what she felt at his touch. "Thanks," she said, picking up her drink to try to look casual about it.

"I can't promise I'll always be here," he said after a moment, a little more somberly. "I've got hunts and work of my own. But it'll work out, I think."

"Yeah, not gonna expect you to sit around here pinin' for me," she said, smiling. "But yeah, it'll work fine."

Jay nodded, finding himself momentarily lacking in what else to add. Then the next thought jumped into his head, and his face felt warm again. "What about sleeping arrangements?"

She tried not too look too amused at the red creeping up his face. "Couch is good for me, when I'm here," she said, giving it a tap with her foot. "I was figurin' the car would be homebase for me, so it's nothin' but an improvement."

"I'll have to get a better couch, then," he replied, trying not to sound disappointed at her answer. "If I'm not here, you can take my bed."

"Thanks. But you don't need a new couch, this is plenty good," she said, carefully stretching out on her side to lean on her arm holding the tumbler, the pizza plate on the cushion in front of her. "Good fit and everything."

"A hide-a-bed is a good idea anyway," he said, waving her rebuttal off. "I'm not gonna rush to buy one. Just on the list of shit I need now."

"You don't need it, seriously," she said, a little uncomfortably. Giving her a key was one thing, but buying a sofa seemed overboard. "I'd be good on the floor. Or anywhere."

Jay resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. Granted, the couch was comfortable, but it could afford to be more comfortable.  _Just let her think she's won this round,_  he told himself, then bit his cheek to keep from snickering at himself.  _God, if that isn't the first sign that this is a relationship in friends with benefits clothing._

"Anyway," he said aloud, finishing the last sip of his whiskey. "I'm, uh, a little tired. So I'm gonna take a nap and a shower. Not in that order," he amended, standing and heading toward the kitchen. "You're welcome to bum around a little. In fact, wake me up in about two hours."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Alright then. Might slip out for a bit; where's the nearest grocery store?"

"Ten miles down the road you took getting here," he replied as he deposited the tumbler in the dishwasher. Whether or not she was aware of it, the only reason he asked her to wake him was so that she wouldn't think he was ditching her. She'd seemed honestly upset the last time he'd suggested bumming around.

"Alright," she said, finally setting to finish the rest of her pizza. "See you in about two hours?"

"Feel free to get the time wrong," he answered cheerfully, heading down the hall toward the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. Within a few moments, the shower was running. Jo was determined to focus on her pizza and whiskey, and not what the view in the shower would be.  _Taking it slow, taking it slow._

* * *

He was still asleep three hours later when she quietly slid into his bedroom. He looked so peaceful, and sweet. Would be a shame to wake him. She walked quietly over, kneeling down to look him right in the face.

"You're already awake now, aren't you?" she said, though in a whisper in case she was wrong.

"Hm?" he rumbled in response, his mind slowly becoming unfuzzy at the sensation of her watching him and the scent of her permeating the air on the next inhale.

She smiled. "Either you're losing your touch or I'm becoming more sneaky," she teased gently. "Do you want me to let you sleep more or not?"

"Mebbe m'jus tired," he mumbled in answer, one arm reaching out to her and circling around her waist before he tugged her toward the bed.

Warmth erupted through her from his touch; she swallowed with a little laugh, her hand running through his hair. "Maybe," she said, shifting to follow him onto the bed. There was a moment where she wondered how happy he would be with shoes in his bed, but the thought was pushed out of her mind when he pulled her under with him, spooning against her and pressing a warm kiss into the nape of her neck. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. This wasn't slow, as far as she knew, but it felt too nice to complain. She still felt a bit nervous, though.

"Have a nice nap?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not gonna molest you. Promise," he muttered, resting his chin against the crook of her neck and keeping his eyes closed. It felt wonderful and warm, and he didn't want to deny himself of the pleasure of a body in his bed.

She snuggled back against him, resting her arms on his. "You could a little," she said, teasing. Mostly.

"I like you for more than your awesome tits and great legs, you know," he replied, trapping one of her legs between his easily.

She gave a light laugh. "I know," she said, her thumb rubbing lightly along the back of his hand. "But nothing wrong with liking my awesome tits and great legs, too."

"Sounds like you  _want_  me to molest you," he said, a low rumbling chuckle chasing after the words. "After the hoopla of being slow, even. Can't make your mind up?"

"Maybe, maybe not," she said with a smile. "Besides, we agreed no sex. Doesn't mean we have to forget all forms of molestation."

"I'm no good at doing things halfway," he admitted, nosing her neck gently.

It would be so easy just to give in, take what she wanted. But they were supposed to think about things this time. "It's not that I don't want to," she said, her hips shifting back. "But I want us to decide to. Not just jump in because you feel so fantastic."

"Thank you," he replied with a chuckle, kissing her neck again. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking, pulling her hips back more firmly into his with one large hand at the inch of bare skin her shirt left open. "I know."

She let out a long breath before sliding a hand back to his hair, her head turning towards him as she pressed closer to him. Jay gently pulled her until she had rolled to face him, resting his forehead lightly against hers as he draped his arm over her side. Everything was... comfortable. Perfect. The way it was meant to be. For now, that was enough.


	8. Chapter 8

His knuckles were white, his hands clasped so tight they were beginning to hurt, but Chase didn't loosen his hold.  _Please_ , he thought fiercely, the same word he'd been pleading for a half hour. But nothing had changed. Nothing felt better.  _Please, just something. **Anything!**_

Anger surging through him, he pulled back, slamming the pew before opening his eyes. His vision was blurry but he could tell the small church was still empty.  _What am I even doing here?_  With a huff of breath, he hefted himself to the side of the pew before lifting himself into his wheelchair. He didn't know why he believed that old hunter. There'd been plenty of religious types through the Roadhouse before, and Chase never understood how they could believe like that with all they'd seen. But the way this guy talked... Chase had thought it could be possible.

"Or it just shows how desperate I'm gettin'," he muttered, struggling a bit with the door before getting out of the church, down the handicap ramp. The hunter had said he'd be around to drive Chase back in an hour, but he couldn't stand it anymore. He'd start down the road; maybe the hunter would catch up to him. A shadow crept up on the concrete, followed by the click-clack of heeled shoes.

"You need any help, darlin'?" came the sound of a woman's voice, the drawl in her voice proving she'd been born in the area rather than move there, like he and Jo had.

He looked back, squinting into the light of the low sun. She was normal-enough looking, though on the pleasant side of pretty. Of course, she was also in a church parking lot during the late afternoon of a weekday, so not too normal.

"'m doin' alright," he said noncommittally, wheeling on. She quickly caught up to him, finding a swift pace to match his.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean t'pry. You just looked a bit down, s'all."

He slowed slightly though he didn't look up. "Just looking for somethin'," he said, scowling at himself. "Turns out it wasn't in there."

"Maybe it is an' you just lookin' in the wrong direction," she replied, tilting her head into his eyeshot a bit.

He stopped, his jaw hard as he looked at her. "Look, no offense, but I already got the 'God works in mysterious ways' talk once today. Not in the mood for another."

"That's not what I meant, darlin'," she replied sweetly. In a blink, her eyes turned inky black from iris to sclera. Then they were back to their regular hue again, her smile still in place. "I may not be God, but I'll still listen to you."

Chase jerked back sharply on his wheels, veering into the grass as his hand went for his pocket. He pulled out the little glass vial he still always carried around, though it'd become nothing but a useless charm. Until now, that is. "Knew there was somethin' off about you," he snarled. "Watch it, I got friends comin'."

The demon immediately brought her hands palms up, taking a step back from him. "I'm not out to stir up any trouble, darlin'. I was jus' passin' through. Thought I'd heard a whisper on the wind 'bout you wishin' someone'd cut you a break."

"Yeah, well I wasn' talkin' to you," he said, glaring. Part of him, though, knew that a little vial of holy water wasn't going to do him a whole lot of good stuck in a chair. His stomach wrenched painfully. The demon's face shifted in genuine sympathy, her hands slowly dropping though she didn't move closer.

"I could help you, though. After all, does it really matter who answers your wish?" she asked, tilting her head just a little in question, her hands clasping lightly over her front.

"Yeah, well, one side asks a price, so yeah, makes a diff'rence," he said firmly, though he didn't really believe it.  _Not like I have anything to lose._

"They both do, darlin'," she countered. "For God, you need endless and devout servitude. D'you think he's got time for everybody? Some would argue that he had  _plans_  for you to end up in that chair."

Fury crossed Chase's face and he lifted his hand. "Get the fuck away, while I'll let you," he snapped.

"At least my way, you'd get what you want now," she continued, as if he hadn't interrupted her. "Y'don't deserve this fate, Chase. You're a good man."

He gave a mirthless laugh, his hand dropping. "Yeah, sure you know a lot about bein' good."

"You think I wanted to be this way?" she asked, her smile turning to a frown. "I used to be like you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? So what happened?"

"I was born with cerebral palsy. Y'think  _you_  have it hard?" she replied, her jaw setting a little. "I got to live a happy life, because of the deal I made."

"Yeah? And how's the afterlife treatin' ya?" he said, meaning to sneer though he couldn't. She was hitting closer to home than he liked.

"Since I got shore leave?" she replied, half smiling. "Pretty comfortable. It's nice to breathe fresh air again. Look, y'don't hafta answer now." She stuck her hand into her purse, tugging out a small card holder and pulling out a business card.

He gave a snort. "You're shitting me. Demons with business cards. World really is ending, ain't it?"

She gave a small laugh of her own, taking a step toward him and holding it out for him to take. "Not ending. Just beginning."

He knew he should tell her where she could take that card and shove it. Hell, he should give her a good splash of holy water and at least attempt an exorcism. So he felt a bit betrayed when his hand simply reached out and took the card. He looked at it. It had a phone number, and a name. "Alessa Harrington," he said aloud. "That your name or hers?"

There was no answer. And when he looked up, the space she'd occupied was empty.

* * *

Chase stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep for the third night in a row. The house creaked, from age and not-so-peaceful sleepers, but that wasn't the problem. It wasn't even the wide, empty space of bed beside him where Jo used to be. It was the card in the side table drawer next to him.

He should have just thrown it away. Or given it to a hunter who could actually do something with it. But during the day it rode in his pant pocket, and at night it was in the drawer. It was as ever-present as his vial of holy water.

He looked over at the side table, scowling. Every part of him knew it was wrong. It was everything he fought against. But that was hard to remember when he had to wander the house for Ellen just to grab the right pan in the kitchen, or ask someone for a ride into town for his meds, or even just try to get from his chair to the toilet when he'd waited too long. Or when he tried to remember what it felt like to run. These things screamed through his thoughts every minute of the day and night.

 _A call wouldn't hurt_.

She answered on the second ring, not a breath of tiredness in her voice when she answered. "Can't sleep?" she asked, her voice a low, soothing murmur.

"I'd ask the same, but I don't know if you even need sleep," he muttered.  _What the hell am I doing?_  he thought, though he didn't hang up.

"The early bird catches the worm, they say," she answered playfully. "I sleep when I'm tired. Helps keep me alive."

He chewed his tongue, torn, but finally spoke up. "So how's this work exactly? What's the deal?"

"I give you whatever you want, and in return I take something you won't miss," she replied gently, a smile in her voice. "Or a deadline, if you'd prefer it. Either one is acceptable."

He scowled. "What would you take?"

"I would have to give you a look over. See what there is to offer."

"Well I can't exactly hop in a car and drive there," he said, his scowl deepening.

"Well if you didn't have a devil's trap inside your window, I'd come in personally," she replied smoothly.

The words were like ice down his back. But he'd gone this far.  _Just find out what it would cost_. "I'll be out in a couple minutes."

He made an effort to roll quietly through the roadhouse, knowing what a light sleeper Ellen tended to be. When at last he rolled out through the double doors, he saw her there, hands behind her back and still wearing the sundress he'd last saw her in. He wondered if she'd even bothered changing at all.

"Warm night, huh?" she said casually.

"Don't be pulling that innocent shit with me, we both know better," he said as he wheeled down the ramp. He was still in his pajamas, though he'd put on his sneakers; he'd learn the hard way not to go around barefoot. He rolled until he was right in front of her. "Alright. What'll you take?"

She moved without any regard of his personal space, covering his hands with hers and sliding into his lap. "It's a bit of an unorthodox way of checking, but it's how I operate," she said by way of explanation.

He stiffened, but resisted the urge to shove her off. The last woman to be this close to him had been Jo. Still, he leaned back in his chair. "So check already."

Her hands slid up his face, looking almost piercingly into his eyes for an agonizingly long moment. Then a slow smile curved on her lips. "A child."

Chase couldn't help it; he laughed in her face. "What is this, a fucking fairytale?"

"Perhaps," she replied, brows raising slightly. "Like I said. Something you won't miss. Do we have a deal? "

He gave a snort.  _Something I won't even have._  "So my first born and my soul, and then my spine's all set right? Muscles, too?" Some excitement was creeping into his voice. "'Cause I don't wanna have to go through any more therapy shit. I want to fuckin'  _run_ , tonight."

"Won't really need your soul in this case, darlin'," she replied, pulling her hands back but letting one finger trail down his cheek.

That got a look of surprise. All she was asking was something he'd never have; he almost felt bad, stiffing her. Wouldn't make her boss happy, that's for sure. "Alright," he said with a smile. "You get my firstborn, I get my real body back. Deal."

With a pleased smile, the demon leaned in and pressed her full lips against his, the finger that had been trailing down his cheek sliding upward so her palm rested against the skin. Despite himself, Chase enjoyed the kiss, his mouth even responding to hers. And then, as though a flip was switched, his brain exploded with sensation. One moment, nothing, and suddenly he had thighs, knees, feet, and a hard-on that felt so good it was painful.

" _Fuck_ ," he growled, shuddering as he pulled away from her for a breath. His hips snapped without thinking, his cock rubbing up against her, sending fire racing through his body. His hands hooking under her ass, his mouth eagerly attacked hers again, taking what it needed. And then, holding her tight to him, he stood. In reflex, her legs circled around his waist, her other arm circling around his neck as she met his kiss with equal fervor, the hand on his cheek going up into his hair to twist into it. For a moment she was suspended, and then her back was pressed against the wall of the roadhouse, one of his hands hiking up her skirt. His hands found her naked beneath it. He growled in need, his hand freeing his hard-on over the band of his pants before he thrust into her roughly. His mouth and movements desperate, his eyes closed; it was easy to pretend she was exactly who he wanted her to be.

He didn't last long, his hands sliding up to pin her wrists against the wall as he came hard, only just managing to hold back a scream of release. She made a choked noise of her own, the sound ending in a satisfied moan that rumbled into a purr. "What a way to celebrate," she drawled into his ear, curving the heel of her foot against his back.

Chase's eyes snapped open at her voice, horror registering as he looked at her. It'd happened so quickly, so easy to grab the nearest willing body. The demon might have been willing, but it wasn't her body. His horror turning to rage. " _Regna terrae, cantate Deo_ ," he snarled, his grip tightening on her wrists. The eyes that had been looking at him so sweetly turned suddenly black, and her body seized from where he had her pinned against the wall.

"Wait-!" she cried, struggling.

Chase ignored her. He'd already listened to her too much that night. " _Psallite Domino, qui fertis super caelum!_ "

Knowing there would be no way to persuade him differently, the demon's head tipped back and she screamed, dark smoke pouring out of her mouth like smog as her body turned rigid. Chase's arms circled the girl as she sagged, lowering her gently to the ground. Then a square of light lit up the ground, a blurry figure in the middle of it. Of course someone had heard that; he was surprised he hadn't woken anyone sooner. There was no time to think, and there was definitely no way to explain, not to a house full of hunters. He bolted for the little dirt lot by the Roadhouse. Someone had left their car windows down. He had it unlocked and was in in a second, ducking low to fiddle with the wires. The car soon roared to life and Chase had it shifted into drive before he'd even fully sat up. He pulled out in a squeal of tires, not looking back, not wanting to see anyone who would cause the shame surging through him to overflow. As he tore out onto the highway, it finally struck him that his legs were working, moving on the pedals as if they'd never stopped. And he ran.

* * *

"I'm coming up on the bridge," Jay said into the phone, his voice clear and calm despite the twist of nerves in his stomach. They hadn't been able to find the body of Karen Jones; her body had been, no doubt, carried off by the river. The only way they thought plausible to destroy the scorned spirit was by bringing her into contact with the tombstone of her suicidal ex-lover. It was a long stretch at best, but perhaps she would see that her death had affected him just as horribly as the affair he'd had had affected her.

It made Jay incredibly wary. The plan had obvious holes in it, and he only hoped Jo would save his ass if it came to that. He did not want to be the victim of ghost rape.

"Alright, yeah, I can see your brake lights now," Jo said, following him. She was enough of a distance behind that hopefully it wouldn't deter the ghost. "If something happens, I'm on ya in a second."

"Better be," he replied, a frown in his voice. He closed the phone up, and nearly swerved as a body suddenly materialized five feet ahead of him. He slammed on his breaks instead, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Jesus Christ," he rasped. The woman came around to the side of the car, her dress sticking to her pale skin and her hair hanging in wet threads from her scalp as she knocked on the window. With a flip of the switch on his door, he unrolled the window.

"You need a ride, sweetheart?" he asked, hoping his voice sounded steady. She gave a small smile at him and nodded. Before he could react she was suddenly in the seat, his heart triphammering in his chest.

"Just let me know when I need to turn."

Jo's heart leapt in her throat when she saw his brakes flare, her hand going to the rock salt filled shotgun on her lap instinctively. But then he was driving again. So far, looked like the plan was going ahead fine. The graveyard wasn't too far. She only hoped it worked. If not, well, hopefully she had enough salt.

Jay continued on, becoming increasily more agitated at the silence in the car. Karen turned her head to look at him in the chair, her face serene as she reached out to put her hand on his thigh.

"I don't know how I can ever thank you," she said in a smooth, melodeous voice. Jay felt his skin crawl beneath her touch, and he forced a smile.

"You don't need to thank me. I'm sure you'da done the same if you'da seen someone stranded on the road all wet."

Her hand slid further up his thigh, her eyes set unblinking on his. "Do you want me?" she said, her tone unchanging.

Jay's throat tightened, but he knew this part. It was how the legend worked, and in order to keep the spirit happy he had to play along. The graveyard was coming up shortly. "I just met you," he said slowly, forcing himself to swallow in what he hoped was a nervous fashion.

Her cold, wet hand slid higher before resting between his legs. "Does it matter?"

 _Oh god, oh god, oh god-_  "My girlfriend would think so," he replied with a nervous laugh, squirming in the seat. He flipped on his blinkers, turning into the cometary and driving up through the lane leading to the back.

Without really moving toward him, Karen was suddenly pressed against his side, her palm rubbing up against him. "Stop the car," she crooned.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, thankful that he'd managed to find the grave area through muscle memory. He pulled into the spot, tugging the keys free from the ignition. "C'mon. I know a great place where you can see the stars."

In a flash, she was straddling him, her nose nearly touching his. "I'm comfortable here. Hold me."

 _Shit-_  "Maybe for you, babydoll, but this isn't exactly the best place for this."

Her hips shifted against him, her hands sliding behind his neck. "Hold me," she said again, low and needy. Sliding one arm around her, Jay made one last fruitful attempt at getting the door open and yanking her out with him. She retained her substance, though the hand at his neck suddenly tightened almost painfully once his back hit the ground. Holding him down, she bruisingly pressed her cold lips to his.

"Karen?"

The voice reverberated strangely, but it seemed to hit the woman straight to her core. She was suddenly on her feet, her back to Jay. Almost as quickly, Jo was at Jay's side, one hand on his shoulder, the other holding her shotgun at the ready as she watched a pale man materialize from a nearby grave.

"Evan," Karen breathed, her body rigidly straight. Evan looked at her sadly, a pale shadow in comparison to Karen's solid form. He took three steps toward her, and she immediately stepped back.

"I'm so sorry, Karen. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen to me."

Karen shook her head, though her face was slowly crumpling in a sob. "How could you?" she said, her voice shaking.

"I couldn't live without you," he said in a breaking voice, reaching out for her again. The air around them seemed to crackle at their proximity. "Please forgive me. I love you."

She kept shaking her head, but it didn't seem to be an answer. After a moment, she took a small step forward, and then a larger one, suddenly leaning forward and throwing his arms around Evan. A wind roared up from nowhere, and in a howl of smoke, the couple suddenly vanished, silence descending faster than the wind. Jay watched from where he'd been crouching on the ground, a painful sensation in his chest at the scene that had transpired in front of them. When all that was left was the sound of crickets chirping in the grass, he finally stood, letting out a shaky breath.

"Let's get out of here."

Jo blinked, looking at him. Even with her hand on his shoulder, she'd almost forgotten he was there. "Yeah. Yeah," she said, shaking her head as she got to her feet, holding a hand out for him. "You alright?"

"Yeah," he replied, his voice a bit wet as he took it and helped himself up. It was obviously a lie, but it was also obvious that he didn't want to talk about it. "Let's just get back to the hotel."

Jo gave him a concerned look but nodded, squeezing his shoulder before heading for her car. The hotel was further from the bridge than the graveyard had been, but it still wasn't a long drive. They were back within a half hour, Jo still carrying the gun though they probably wouldn't need it right then. Jay pulled out the card key once they got to the door, swiping it open and waiting until Jo was inside before locking it up. The salt lines weren't necessary, but he found himself doing them anyway. Halfway through the first window, Jo's phone buzzed, then started the ringtone she'd set for the Roadhouse. Jo raised her eyebrows, picking up the phone. It was nearly two in the morning.

"Hey, Mom? What's up?" she said. Her confusion deepened.

"Chase is gone," Ellen said, her voice thin and panicked. "There's a girl out here, missin' time."

Jo's whole body tensed, her eyes going wide. "What do you mean out here? Outside the Roadhouse? Was Chase with her?"

"I don't know. I thought he went to bed, so I locked up. Next thing I know there's a scream and then Malachi almost runs me over tryin' to come get me on my way outta my room. Jo. His chair was still there."

Jo sunk onto the bed, her eyes staring at nothing. "He...he  _walked_?" she whispered, her brain feeling like it was trying to think through molasses. "Even possessed-could he  _do_  that? Or...or do you think something grabbed him?"

"I don't know," Ellen answered, sounding just as alarmed but in her own way. "He doesn't have his phone. I have no idea where he's gone. Just... be careful, okay? I'll call again soon."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." The world came slowly into focus, the details of the conversation finally sinking in. "Is the girl okay?"

"Yeah. A little shook up, and scared, but Malachi gave her a ride home. S'only been about two or three days since she was first possessed."

Jo shook her head. Was this really happening? "Okay. Thanks. I'll be waiting for your call. Love you, Mom."

"Love you too, baby. Be safe."

"You, too." Jo flipped the phone closed gently, still looking a bit shocked. She glanced up, finding Jay giving her a concerned look. "How much you hear?"

"Enough," Jay replied, looking worried. "D'you know where he might've gone?"

She scowled in thought. "Dunno. Chase always said I- that the Roadhouse was the only home he knew. I mean, we had one spot- But if he's possessed, there's no telling-" Her voice hitched, tears springing to her eyes.  _Oh God. Chase._  Of all the people who didn't deserve that.

"D'you wanna..." he started, moving to her side the moment he saw her chest hitch. "We can go. Or you can. But I don't wanna leave you alone right now."

"No.  _No_ ," she said, both at the suggestion and at herself. She shook her head, taking a deep breath to fight back the tears. After a while, she let it out, looking up at him. "It's late, I'm tired. It's no good going in blind right now. We should get some rest."

"We could leave your car here and I could drive," he offered, wanting to be completely sure.

She cupped his cheek in appreciation but shook her head. "We don't even know where to drive. If he's in trouble, he'll call. If he's possessed..." She felt the tears surging up again but fought them down. "We'll find him. Or he'll find me. Just not tonight."

"You're sure?" he said one final time, letting his forehead press gently against hers.

"Unless you have an idea of where he might be, yes," she said, her tone faintly teasing. He butted his head lightly in reply, letting his lips graze hers before he pulled back again.

"You want the shower first?"

"Yeah," she said in a breath, closing her eyes before she got up. She tried to focus on her tiredness, let it take away the thoughts buzzing through her head as she went into the bathroom. The shower was running a few minutes later and, despite her best intentions, as Jo stood in the stream, she cried.

While she showered, Jay sat on the bed in the silence and frowned. He hated the stilted feeling in his stomach. He was the rebound relationship; it was an unavoidable fact. If she changed her mind again, there would be no way to stop her. Just the thought of her leaving made the feeling in his stomach turn to a churn, and to get his mind off of it he stripped of his shirt and scrubbed his hands over his face.

"Get a grip, man," he told himself out loud.

Jo took longer than usual, and finally emerged, her skin rosy pink and her eyes a little bloodshot. She was wrapped in a towel. "All yours," she said, smiling though her voice sounded a little sore. He nodded as he stood, walking past her and letting his fingertips graze hers on his way. Closing the door, he let out a sigh and stripped off the last of his clothes, stepping into the still-running shower. Jo dressed in mindless silence. Between the late hour, the crying, and the warmth from the shower that still radiated throughout her, she was exhausted. She curled into bed but kept her eyes open, determined to wait up for Jay. Her lids kept slipping though, and soon she was dozing. Jay took less time, scrubbing down and washing his hair halfheartedly before the water started going tepid. Rinsing, he twisted the faucet off and stepped out, drying off with the towel and wrapping it loosely around his waist. Stepping out, he could see Jo's body curled into the spot she'd claimed, and he moved quietly in order to find a pair of boxers to change into. When she felt the bed sink slightly, Jo stirred. Her eyes stayed closed but she reached out for him, circling his waist to pull him close to her. Jay felt some of the anxiousness in his stomach stave off at the touch, and wordlessly he turned over in her loose embrace, resting face to face to her and smoothing his hand along her damp hair. Any remaining tension eased from her body and she curled against him, her face burrowing into his neck. He was warm and kind and everything she needed right then. With a sigh, she felt herself drifting off.

Jay listened as her breath evened out, his eyes closing. He wasn't tired in the least, but he was willing to be this for her. Impulsively he grazed his lips against the tip of her ear.

"I..." he breathed out, the words hardly a whisper as he felt his throat close up. She was asleep. It wouldn't matter, but- "I love you, Jo."

But she remained unmoved, her breath warming his neck on every exhale. With a shaky sigh, he focused on purposefully slowing his own breath, hoping to knock himself out.

* * *

It was one of those deep, restful, dreamless sleeps that ended easily and let the day start without any preamble. Jo opened her eyes, vision clear and unblurred as she looked at the face of the still-sleeping Jay. She smiled slightly, at the closeness, at the warmth of him, but it quickly faded. There was tension in his face, at the jaw, between the eyebrows. He didn't look restful so much as tired.

Jay found himself stirring more slowly, a cramp in his arm that suddenly became more apparent when the body resting against it shifted slightly. His eyes opened to find Jo's already looking into his face, and he tried weakly to smile.

"Mornin'."

Her return smile couldn't hide the concern in her eyes. "Hi," she said, her hand sliding behind his neck, massaging it slightly. "Didn't sleep well, did you."

"That obvious?" he replied, pulling back just a little so she wouldn't have to smell his sour morning breath. "Did you?"

"Yeah," she said, confusion pulling at her eyebrows. Strange, how easily she'd let the news about Chase roll off her mind. But that wasn't important right now. "Was it the graveyard case that had you up?"

"A little," he admitted, his smile turning sheepish before fading altogether. "I was worried about you, too."

She smiled slightly, her hand sliding to cup his cheek. "Now why'd you do a silly thing like that? I was right here; nothin' to worry about."

 _Guess I'm just afraid you'll leave,_  he thought in answer, turning to kiss the inside of her wrist. "Bad habit, I guess."

She wasn't entirely certain the kiss was innocent and not just a ploy to change the subject. "Don't want you losin' sleep over me," she said, keeping her tone light. "Next time, tell me 'bout it so I can make you stop worrying."

He gave a small laugh in answer. "What, so we can change sides and you worry about me instead? That's Earth logic at its finest."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I only worry about you worrying. Stop it and then I won't have anything to worry about," she teased.

"Again with the Earth logic," he rebutted, laughing and leaning in to kiss her lightly. He became quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful and serious before he spoke. "I just... it's..."

Her thumb brushed against his cheek, her eyes serious. "You can always talk to me, alright? I want us to always talk. That's the only way that works."

"I love you," he said, a flicker of fear in his eyes.

For a moment, she just stared. She thought she knew what he was going to say, but that definitely wasn't it. Then she realized she wasn't giving him a response, which was probably the worse thing she could do. An obvious one came to mind, but she wasn't sure it would be honest. Instead, leaning her head forward, her lips met his. Jay returned the kiss, eyes closing and enjoying it for what it was: reassurance. Not exactly returned feelings, but something to make him feel less like she was going to run for her life when he went to go brush his teeth. After a moment he finally broke it, gave her a somewhat embarrassed smile, then got up to do just that. Jo watched him go before stretching and getting out of bed, trying not to feel guilty. It had been the way of their relationship, of course, Jay diving in headfirst and Jo taking her time before sliding in. Part of her felt that love, not just caring and liking and enjoying but love, would come eventually. Just...not yet. The physical side wasn't the only thing she wanted to take slow.

She took her time getting dressed, packing as she went. Now she would have to see if her current boyfriend wanted to go find her possibly possessed ex-boyfriend.  _I really will never have a normal relationship, will I?_

Jay finished his morning ritual quickly, a little paranoid that she  _would_  leave despite his reassurance. He let out a small breath he hadn't been aware he was holding when he returned and she was still there. "Pretend I didn't say what I just said. That was last night talking. So do you want to go get breakfast first before we go combing through the haystacks?"

She glanced at him in her packing. "Yeah. No point in going hungry. I'll give my mom a call, see if they got a better idea where he might be headed." Then, after a pause, "Don't be embarrassed. I'm glad you said it."

"As long as you are," he said, ducking his eyes a little and going to his dresser to change.

It was clearly still tender ground, probably best brought up later. Besides, as much as she wouldn't want to admit it to Jay, Chase was beginning to weigh heavily on her mind. She went into the bathroom, going a little quickly through her morning routine.

Once they were both cleaned, clothed, and packed, Jay lead the way down the street to the breakfast-specialty diner they'd passed on their first scope of the town, parking in the diagonal spot closest to the door. Jo got off the phone with Ellen as they entered, but didn't speak up until they were seated and alone.

"Looks like he went east. He stole a hunter's car; or at least whatever has him did," she said, frowning slightly. "Anything east of Colorado isn't much of a start, but I guess it's something."

"How do they know he went east?" Jay asked, his brows knitting slightly.

"That's the direction the car peeled out in; Malachi heard a scream and was the first outta his room, so he got an eyeful. Didn't see the driver, though." She chewed on her tongue, looking at the menu but not really seeing the words. When the server came around, Jay ordered for them both, watching her with a concerned expression.

"You got that right on 'not much of a start,'" he replied. "We'd have better luck if the hunter left his phone in there by accident or something. Or had GPS or an alarm."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't mention that, but wouldn't raise my hopes. Roadhouse crowd is paranoid but generally technologically-disabled. Plus anything with half a brain would ditch the car soon as possible."

"You think he would've ditched the car?" Jay asked, his frown deepening. "I guess I should start praying he decides he wants to call you."

Jo's stomach sunk. Was she already giving up on him? If a demon had him, he wouldn't call. If it wasn't a demon, she couldn't fathom what the hell Chase was doing. After a minute or two of not reading the menu, she tugged out her phone, hitting redial. Least she could do was throw Jay's thoughts past 'em.

The phone rang twice before it answered. "You find him?" Ellen asked, sounding mildly confused and a little hopeful at being called back so quickly.

"No, no, sorry," Jo said, wincing slightly. "Just hashing things out with Jay, had a few questions. No GPS or alarm on the car?"

Ellen gave a bark of a laugh at the question. "That'd be wonderful, wouldn't it? Let me go ask, I'll be right back."

Jo unconsciously tapped a beat on the table as she waited, glancing at Jay. "She's checking," she offered as update. Jay gave her a weak smile, sipping idly on his water after giving her a nod.

"Well, wouldn't you know," Ellen said in disbelief when she got back to the phone. "GPS. He's calling in about it right now."

Her stomach gave a wrench of relief, terror, and joy all in one, tears springing to her eyes. "Alright, Mom, just stay on the line. I want to know where the car is soon as possible." She looked up at Jay, amazement and gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you," she mouthed. Jay blinked in surprise, his mouth falling open slightly. Ellen remained on the line, the sound of her breathing and the background noise of the roadhouse filtering through the earphone.

"I got it," a faint voice said from the other side.

"Yeah?"

"It's Bur-"

"Burlington, Illinois," Ellen said, louder than the tiny echo in the background on her side. "But the car's stopped. I'm pretty sure he's abandoned it."

For a long while, Jo just sat there, frozen. Ellen saying her name finally snapped her out of it. "Yes. Yeah, got it, sorry. Jay and me'll head that way," she said, feeling numb.

"Keep me posted," Ellen said, sounding a little concerned. "Love you."

"You, too." Jo closed the phone gently, looking up at Jay. She swallowed before speaking. "Do you know where Burlington, Illinois is?"

"Just across the Kansas-Illinois border," Jay replied, frowning slightly. "Is that where he is?"

"That's where the car is. It's stopped, though," she said, chewing her bottom lip, not quite willing to voice her thoughts. "But it's a place to start. Wanna make this to-go?"

"Let me go get the server," Jay said, standing and heading in the direction of the host station.

Jo let out a breath, glad he was there to take care of the mundane. She almost wished they were taking the same car. Her mind whirred. Maybe it was a coincidence, Chase heading straight for Illinois. It didn't have to have anything to do with her or Jay or Jay's house. Hell, it probably didn't. The demon was probably on a beeline somewhere big, like Chicago.  _Yeah, try believing that for longer than a second_.

They were soon out the door, Jo pausing at her driver's side. "You lead? You know the roads better'n me."

"Yeah," he replied, sliding easily into the car and starting the engine before he even had his seatbelt on. He waited until Jo's car was also going before pulling out and leading the way. It was a chore, eating out of a styrofoam box and driving at the same time, but if it meant easing Jo's mind he didn't mind it.

Five hours later they finally arrived in the outer city limit of Chicago. Jay flipped his phone open and hit her speed dial, listening to the sound of ringing on the other end until she answered.

"Hey," she said, her voice a little on edge. "What's up?"

"I think we should stop by my house and get into one car," he said, chewing lightly on his lower lip as he spoke.

Jo let out a breath, trying to keep her heart from jumping to a gallop. "Okay," she said, nodding to herself. "Just... be careful. Might be stupid, but I think he might've been...well, headed there himself."

Jay frowned, looking into the rearview mirror as he turned and watching her car briefly as she followed him. It made him feel slightly closer when they talked. "He better not break into my house. All bets are off if he does."

"Don't say that." She knew his words were meant to be light, or at least she hoped so, but they weren't helping. "I don't know what's going on, just that Chase is in trouble, so... just don't."

 _And if he tries to hurt you?_  he thought in answer, frowning deeper.  _Or me? Should I just let him hit me for your sake?_  "See you in 30," he said at last.

When Jo pulled up behind his car in the drive, she wished she had about fifty more eyes. Nothing looked out of place, but it wasn't exactly like Chase would come storming in like Godzilla. She got out of her car cautiously, eyes over her shoulder, figuring Jay had everything in front of her covered. The door seemed undamaged when he checked the locks, and once he was inside a quick glance around proved all the windows sound and the salt lines unbroken. All good news. He came back out the front door with little difficulty, pausing to push his key into the deadbolt. While Jo was unfamiliar with the sounds of his house and the area around it, Jay was not; he heard the sound of tires far off on the gravel-dirt road, and immediately was tense.

"Jo! Get in the car and lock the doors!"

Her head whipping around to look at him, she leaned into the car but only to come back out with her shotgun. By then she'd heard the tires, shifting to keep the car door between herself and the oncoming vehicle.

"Damnit, Jo-" Jay growled under his breath, furiously pushing the door open and getting the shotgun kept near the door.

The car that had been driving up the road came to a sharp stop once it saw the other two cars, though the engine remained running. Within a few moments the driver's side door opened, and Chase came out with both hands held up.

"It's me! I swear to God!"

Jo gritted her teeth, her finger taut on the trigger. "Yeah, you might've done a little more research, you son of a bitch, 'cause Chase can't walk!" she snapped. Jay was out of the door on the tailend of her words, his own shotgun raised and pointing in the direction of the road. His eyes went wide at the sight of Chase standing.

"I can explain," Chase replied, his hands still raise. "I'll prove it. You have that tattoo on the inside of your wrist that you got because of you runnin' into Winchester a year ago. You're afraid of small spaces because of that HH Holmes thing you think I don't know about but that Ellen told me. D'you want me to do the ritual? I'll do that, too."

"Like you couldn't have pulled all that from his head," she said, gun still steady. "Do better'n that or get down on the ground."

" _Exorcizamus te_ ," Chase said immediately, a tremor of panic in his voice. " _Omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii_ -"

Confusion and anger fought in Jo's expression. "So you're not a demon, so what?" she snapped. "Get down, face down and hands behind your back."

"Jesus Christ, Jo, it's  _me!_  Fuck, I haven't seen another human since that goddamn demon at the Roadhouse," he argued, getting genuinely angry at that point. Jay spoke up immediately.

"Do as she said!"

Chase's eyes moved past Jo and onto Jay in an instant, loathing written all over his face. "You stay out of this!"

Jo stepped around the car door, taking two steps forward, looking at him down the barrel of her gun. "Chase, stop actin' like a fucking child," she said, anger in her own voice. "You know damn well I got ev'ry reason not to believe you, so play along 'til I'm convinced."

Chase growled angrily under his breath, shutting the door with his hip and getting onto his knees. His pajama pants were thin, and he could feel every single pebble cutting into his knee. While the novelty of his legs working again and sensation returning hadn't worn off, he regretted  _that_  part of sensation.

"Jay, come give me a hand," Jo called as she worked her trunk open with one hand, not looking away from possibly-Chase for a second. She pulled out a couple of plastic ties. Jay came up easily to her side, keeping the gun steady on Chase's form as he lay face down in the dirt. A small part of him took pride in the stance, knowing that Chase had said a few nasty things about him upon his last few moments with Jo. Chase, on the other hand, was just biting back the urge to shout in anger and frustration at the sensation of the ties coming tight around his wrists. Feeling helpless again after months in the wheelchair only made him more agitated.

After finishing the binds, Jo got up to get the keys out of Chase's car, finally handing her shotgun to Jay. "Alright, we're getting you inside, then we're gonna talk," she said, moving above Chase's head and grabbing under his shoulders to help him to his feet. Chase stood unsteadily, nearly falling sideways into her but letting her push him along. He glared daggers at Jay as they passed into the house, and yanked free to sit in the chair in the living room. If he was going to be interrogated, he wanted to be comfortable. At least the house was warmer.

Jo was beginning to let herself believe that this actually was Chase. Moving by his side felt familiar, in a far off way, like a long forgotten memory. The thought was dizzying and confusing. She knew she'd eventually see Chase again, but she'd certainly never imagined it like this. Despite her growing trust, she didn't sit down, folding her arms in front of her. Shooting a glance at Jay, she said, "Alright, spill. I figure you know the big question I wanna ask."

"I made a deal," he said in a flat, empty tone, already anticipating her reaction.

Any glimmer of good feeling she had drained away, his words echoing in the emptiness it left. Her hands fell to her sides as she stared. How could he, even for a second, think that was any sort of answer? She'd known he was low, hell, she was part of the reason, but she had no idea how far it had driven him. "Chase-" Anything else she wanted to say got caught in her throat.

"You idiot!" Jay blurted, feeling absolutely no sympathy for how harsh his tone sounded. "You think a few years walkin' around is gonna make up for an eternity in  _HELL?_  Are you fuckin'  _kidding me?_ "

Jo's insides clenched at hearing it aloud but Chase was instantly at his feet, albeit with a slight wobble. "You have no idea what it's like; no  _fucking idea!_ " Chase yelled, his shoulders straining. "But no, I ain't going Hell, 'cause I'm no fucking idiot, either!"

"Bullshit!" Jay shouted back, rage coloring his features. "Ain't no deal I know of that don't come with a price! I should shoot you right now with a crock a shit like that!"

"Stop it!" Jo snapped, her eyes shining with tears, her hand twisting in Jay's shirt. "Leave him the fuck alone, it's not like it's got anything to do with you!"

Jay looked at her as if she'd slapped him, his face contorting in anger and betrayal. "You think he's the only one who's  _lost_  something important to him?" he said in a low, bitter voice as he yanked back from her grip. It was obvious that his role in this was no longer important. "Fine. I'll leave."

The guilt twisted hard in Jo's chest, and she reached out for him again. "Jay, no, I didn't mean-"

"Go on, not like you got a point staying anyway," Chase snapped. "You're not the one I came to see."

"Watch your mouth," Jay said roughly, pausing long enough to glare at the other man. Without another word he was out through the front door, just barely holding in the urge to slam it behind him. He made a move to go to the car, but decided instead to sit on the front steps and scowl at his feet.

Jo winced as the door shut, standing stunned, listening for the sound of a car starting. When it didn't happen, she headed for the door, as if Chase wasn't even there.

"Jo," Chase said sharply, moving after her and hating the fact that he couldn't touch her.  _God,_ but he wanted to touch her. "Wait-"

She froze, her hand on the doorknob. Taking a breath, she turned to him. "What, Chase? What could you possibly have to say?"

"It wasn't a bad deal," he said lamely, moving close to her since he couldn't touch her with his hands. "I didn't sell my soul. Hell, she all but  _gave_  me my legs back. I thought-"

"Oh, so what, you found the good Samaritan demon?" she said, her hand going to her hip. "What was the price, Chase? What on earth did you think you could afford to lose?"

"Nothing I won't miss!" he replied, echoing the words the demon had told him earlier. "God, you shouldda  _heard_  her, Jo. It was like something out of a fuckin' storybook, I swear."

Jo shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she took his face in her hands. "Chase, storybooks aren't real," she said, pain in every word. "I don't know what she told you, but it's not real. You're going to pay something, and it will be something important. That's how they work."

Despite her tone, Chase closed his eyes at her touch. Every single day of the month she'd been gone had stretched on into eternity for him, his whole being longing for her. His body reacted despite itself, as if to make up for lost time. "If it means being able to feel my own body again, I don't care," he answered, all but pressing his face into her palms. "Jo, I just... couldn't do it anymore. Y'gotta understand."

She took a shaky breath. "Chase, I do. I just..." She shook her head, letting it go. Pulling her switchblade from her back pocket, she said, "Turn around, I'll take those binds off. And then we gotta figure out what the hell you're going to do, 'cause you know they're not going to welcome you at the Roadhouse."

Chase turned around when she told him to, immediately missing her hands. Her words, however, made his stomach bottom out. Everything he owned, everything that he knew, was at the Roadhouse. It was his home. "I'll- I'll be my own twin. Nobody would know." It sounded lame, even to his ears, but it was an option.

She gave a noise that was the long lost step-cousin of a laugh, cutting away the binds. "'Cause that won't make a house of hunters suspicious at all," she said, sliding the knife into her back pocket. More serious, she added, "Told you. They always find a way to make you pay."

Hands finally free, Chase turned around and brought them to her arms. Without any forethought he pulled her into a hug, his soul singing at the sensations that rippled throughout his body.

"It doesn't matter anymore," he murmured against her hair. "I don't care. I'll just go back to hunting again, and I'll... it'll be okay."

The hug made her tense, though she returned it. He was right; no use in telling him he messed up now. It couldn't be undone so it had to be lived with. "If there's anything I can do," she said. "Contacts, money. You gotta be strapped right now."

"Clothes would be a good start," he said, a smile in his voice. He pulled back gently, but didn't let his arms fall away just yet. "Come with me. It'll be like it was."

She stared a moment before backing up quickly, right into the door. "Chase. I didn't mean- I wasn't lying when I told you I'd changed," she said, nerves creeping into her voice. "It couldn't be the same."

"But," he started, his arms falling limply to his sides. He stared at her, trying to wrap his mind around her words and falling short. The ache in his chest he'd felt at her first leaving became more obvious and painful. "But I'm better. I- you're-"

She reached for his arm but stopped short. "Chase, it wasn't about that. The sex, the hunting, that wasn't the problem. It-" She stopped short, icy dread crawling down her back. "You... please say you didn't do this for me."

He grimaced slightly, flinching backward just a little. The pause was long enough that he knew she would know that it had been a reason, if not  _the_  reason. And he knew from her tone that even if it was, it wouldn't matter. The world felt like it was spinning and for a moment Jo leaned heavily against the door. As she tried to get her bearings, she stood, shifting around him. "I'll get you some of Jay's clothes; should be about the same size," she said, a hollow quality to her voice.

"Jo," Chase exhaled, his voice raspy and hoarse. "Please..."

She stopped, her chest clenching painfully, but she didn't look back. "I can't," she said, her voice hitching.  _Especially after what you've done_. "I'm sorry. I love Jay."

Chase felt his face crumble at her words, and his stomach clenched painfully. He shook his head, even though she wasn't looking directly at him. "Don't get me his clothes. Just... if you got any money, I'll go get some."

She nodded, shifting back but not looking at him. She knew it would break her. Pulling out her wallet, she considered the cash a moment before pulling out a credit card. "It's only got a $1200 limit, but it's the best I've got. Use all you need."

Chase took the card, biting back the overwhelming desire to touch her. All of this was so wrong.  _I should've said God did it,_  he thought, giving a humorless laugh.  _Fuck. That demon bitch_.  _I should've killed her instead of letting her get away._

She wanted to scream at him, and cry into his shoulder, and hold him until everything undid itself and things really could be how they were. Instead, she opened the front door, letting him through first. Jay stood up quickly when the doorknob turned, and watched with something of a shocked look on his face as Chase walked through the door, and then Jo. Chase continued walking, even as Jo stopped. Every inch of her longed to curl against Jay, to feel his arms around her, but she held back. Not with Chase there. Instead, she hugged herself tight, watching him walk away. Then it struck her that it could be for the last time.

She bolted forward as he opened his car door. "Chase! Wait!" she called, hurrying up to him. Before she even stopped, she said, "You have my number, right?"

"Memorized," he replied, the open door the only thing separating their bodies. He looked down and away from her, too afraid to look into her face.

"Use it," she said quietly, resisting the urge to reach out to him. "Buy a cell with that card and call me. I'll always be there."

"Yeah," he said, hollow and guttural. Leaving her again was the last thing he ever wanted to do; he felt like he was dying. "'bye, Jo."

Her arms wrapped tighter around herself. "'bye, Chase," she said, struggling to make it louder than a whisper. Chase looked up just long enough to look into her eyes, his face moving into a smile he didn't feel before he slid into the car and shut the door. Within a matter of moments he was pulling into reverse, y-point turning before heading back the way he'd came.

Jo watched him go, even after he disappeared from sight, as though frozen in place. She felt empty, alone, cold. And even though she'd been holding back tears in front of him, now that he was gone, she found she couldn't cry. Jay slid his arms around her once his own shock wore off and he'd walked toward her. In that instance, she looked so small and helpless. A part of him wondered just what had transpired when he'd walked out. She shuddered, burrowing into him though the tears still didn't come. After a long moment of silence, she shifted so she could speak.

"Promise me you'll never do that," she said, her voice raspy. "Not for me, not for anyone."

Jay felt a pang of empathy for her instantly, and scowled as his eyes moved in the direction that Chase had gone. Regardless of this, he kept his voice soft and gentle. "I promise."


	9. Chapter 9

It was June, and couldn't be a degree over fucking fifty. The logic just wasn't there; it was June, and they'd gone to what had to be the coldest place in the whole hemisphere. Even as Jay stoked the fire, all it really did was make her shins nice and toasty. The blanket was doing the best it could, but it couldn't make up for the fact that it was dark and she was cold and it was  _June_.

"It's just all one big joke, isn't it?" she said, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "Normal people don't actually do this for fun. Everyone just pretends to and then they find out what it's like and realize that it's like some hazing ritual or something."

Jay stood up from his crouch by the fire, moving until he was behind her and then pulling her up lightly between his thighs, adjusting the blanket so that it covered his shoulders as well as his arms circled around her. "Or their body becomes accustomed to the climate change and they start to ignore it. That and they wear more clothes. I told you what the weather was gonna be like when we got here; how come y'never believe me?" he teased.

"It's June; I forgot what this kind of weather feels like," she said with a pout, though wrapped up in his arms, she didn't mind so much. It was definitely warmer. "I thought chilly weather meant a jacket."

"Next time, I'll pack for you," he said near her ear. "We don't have to stay very long if you don't wanna, you know. I can fish in Indiana."

"Oh, it's not so bad," she admitted, one hand freeing itself from the depths of her sleeve to rest on his thigh. "Long as you stay like this and keep me warm, I'm good for another day or two."

"I can't keep you warm and fish at the same time," he teased, a laugh reverberating in his chest. "I'm only one man."

"Mm, but you have the warming capabilities of ten men," she teased back, snuggling back against his chest as she watched the fire. Jay chuckled quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder and letting his gaze fade off in a similar fashion. He'd been a little surprised at her suggestion that they take the trip, but now that she was actually here with him he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of calm. He hadn't been back at this lake in years, and it felt good to come with someone.

"Are you gonna sleep in tomorrow while I go?" he asked.

"If you want me to. Wouldn't mind coming, though," she said noncommittally. At this point, she honestly didn't care which he preferred. Granted, it'd probably be colder in the morning...

He chuckled again. "That mean you're gonna fish, or just sleep in my lap on the boat?"

"Well, I was going to fish, but now that you mention it, the lap sleeping sounds pretty good," she said with a grin, her hands going over his, her fingertips running along his knuckles. She felt him smile against her cheek.

"Want be to get the whiskey? Warm you up a bit?"

"Trying to ply me with liquor now?" she said warmly. "Not that I object. Of course, if it means you moving, don't know if I'm all for that."

"Or we could both move," he replied, grinning. "It's in the tent. Along with the sleeping bag."

"Mm, you're right," she murmured playfully. "Sleeping bag should be much warmer."

"Insulated and stuff," he added on, gently pulling back and standing. The air was notably cooler after having spent it wrapped up in both her and the blanket, but he gently covered her back with what he'd stole and helped her stand. "And the tent blocks the air chill and keeps in the body heat. I can think of at least three activities to generate a lot of body heat."

After standing, Jo turned to face him, pulling him close to her. It wasn't like they had to be in a big rush. She stared up at him, watching the fire flickering in his eyes, glinting off the shades of green in one of them. "Were you born with eyes a different color like that?" she asked quietly. Jay half-smiled.

"Yeah," he said. "Surprised it took you this long to comment about it. Most people, that's the first thing they say. It's technically a genetic defect."

"Mm, I'm very good at not bringing up scars, crooked noses, or any kind of abnormalities," she said, returning the small smile. "But I don't know, a defect? Do I really want a defective boyfriend? What's the good in that?"

"Don't be mean, I'm sensitive," he replied, bumping his forehead lightly into hers. "Are you gonna stand there all night, or are we going to get our drink on?"

She freed a hand from the blanket to give his ass a smack. "Fine, drinking it is."

Jay pulled her in with little difficulty, zipping the tent up once she followed him inside. The bonfire gave them a little light, but he easily reached up above them to the LED lamp, twisting it on. The only thing Jo took off was her shoes before quickly slipping into the sleeping bag. It was  _freezing_. "Hurry up with that whiskey and get in here," she whined.

"Yes, ma'am," Jay said with a grin, reaching for his bag and zipping it open to pull out the bottle. He quickly handed it to her, taking the time to undo his boots before slipping in next to her and zipping up the bag. She was instantly tight against him, sliding a leg over his and giving him a smile before opening the bottle.

"Now you said you knew about three activities to generate body heat?" she said, taking a generous pull from the bottle. "You must be pretty inventive; I can only think of one."

"Well," he said as she passed him the bottle. "There's one that could be considered a form of torture in some countries. Sexy torture. And then there's one slightly less torturous and sexy," he took a pull from the bottle before passing it back. "And then, of course, there's the obvious."

She raised an eyebrow, taking another pull. "Sexy torture and less sexy torture? Now I'm really curious. Unless one of them happens to be...this." At the word, she dug a merciless tickle-claw into his stomach. Jay immediately recoiled with a high-pitched laugh, wriggling sideways in an effort to avoid her fingers.

"I WASN'T- GONNA-" he gasped around his laughing.

"A likely story!" she teased, setting the bottle aside to go two-handed; it wasn't like he had all that much room to escape. His laughs quickly turned breathless before dissolving into hiccups, and though it probably would've been easy to simply grab her wrists and pin her down, he let her continue, his whole body spasming with every tickle. She cackled before sliding on top of him, her hands stopping their torture to go up to his face.

"You're fuckin' adorable," she said with a grin, pressing a kiss to his lips. By that point he was panting, so the kiss wasn't as sexy as it normally was, but he gave his best effort, his hands coming up to push into her hair. She could feel his need to breathe so soon pulled back, smiling down at him.

"So was that one of them or not? 'Cause I gotta admit, I do feel pretty warm."

"The other one was a massage," he said between breaths, forcing himself to even out. "Brings blood to the surface of the skin."

"Ah, clever," she said, rolling off of him and onto her stomach. She grinned at him. "Well, since I did the tickling to you, I'll let you do the massaging to me."

"How's that fair?" he whined, reaching out to tweak her nose lightly. "I think I oughta repay the favor before you get the nicer one."

"Life isn't fair, sweetheart," she teased, swatting at his hand. "Now get to work."

"Don't think I will," he replied deftly, rolling her over and reaching for the button-fly of her jeans instead.

Her insides squirmed at the sudden loss of control, though not unpleasantly. "Thought you were the one wanting whiskey," she teased, but only lightly. It was hard to object to the direction he was going.

"You're colder," Jay told her, making short work of the button-fly and slipping one hand beneath the small of her back to lift her while he tugged her jeans down lightly.

Even with the heat of the back, some cool air snuck in. It hit her suddenly exposed skin like a shock and she took a sharp breath. "And cooling down faster," she said, squirming, her hands twisting in his sweater. Jay grinned at her, sliding an arm behind her neck and shifting up a little so he could kiss her as he slid his other hand past the elastic of her panties to her folds, wasting no time in teasing her clit.

"I would try something else," he said into her ear, whispering despite the fact that there wasn't anyone around for miles. "But the sleeping bag's a bit small to squeeze that far down in."

She gave a gasp at his fingers, her hand sliding up into his hair. Between his hand and the chill, her nipples strained against her shirt, small pinpoints of sensation only adding to the pleasure slowly building in her. "Mm, this is fine," she assured him.

Jay kissed her earlobe, then the spot just below it against her jaw, giving a low chuckle before his lips gravitated to her mouth for a firm kiss. His fingers moved deftly and out of sight, circling her clit before dipping further. He slid one easily into her, then a second before scissor-twisting within her, his thumb stroking her in tandem. Her tongue plunged eagerly past his lips, one hand behind his neck to hold him firm while the other gripped his arm. She squirmed with every stroke, her hips shifting with each move as warmth and pleasure flooded her.

Jay considered the options of whether to draw it out or not. On the one hand, the longer he held her back, the more body heat she'd no doubt put out. Not to mention all the little whimpers that would no doubt come with it. On the other hand, he loved watching her come, and knew well enough that it wouldn't take her long to recuperate and demand more. That was another thing he loved about her. He broke the kiss after a moment, nipping his way along the column of her neck as he thrust faintly into her hip. She tilted her head so he'd have better access, although it was maddening not having his mouth on hers, not having any kind of control. Still, the benefits weren't bad either; she moaned as he hit a sweet spot.

"Jaaaay," she breathed, holding it out long and needy as she shifted her hip up against him. Jay pressed into her a little harder at his name on her lips in that tone. She was making it very difficult to keep himself in control.

"Tell me what you want," he murmured into her neck, kissing her jawline.

It was a hell of a question. She bit her lip, her body still shifting with his hands, a little whimper escaping. "Keeping going," she finally whined. Jay nipped her throat, upping the pace of his hand just a little, curling his fingers within her.

"You look so fucking beautiful like this," he whispered. "Flushed and wanton. Just thinking about you like this gets me hard. You have any idea what you do to me?"

"Oh god," she whimpered, her fingers curling in his hair. Even after months together, on the road and at his home, the idea of being overheard made her nervous, her blush growing deeper. But if talking was what he wanted... "I know," she breathed. "Sometimes, driving, I imagine you pulling over and just taking me. All the things you could do to me-" Oh  _god_ , his  _fingers_. She gasped. "Almost come without a touch."

 _That's a very tempting idea_ , he thought, angling his thrust to go shallow and fast. He had no idea how he was going to be able to drive normally with her again now. "Maybe I'll have to do that, one of these days," he replied, tugging her earlobe between his teeth. "Just reach over while we're on some long stretch of road and bring you off with my fingers, just like this."

She quivered, breathing deep to try to hold back. "Then I'll just have to return the favor," she said breathlessly. Jay groaned, thrusting against her again. It wasn't enough. There was a good chance that the sleeping bag's seam might be split, but he needed her.  _Now_ , he thought desperately, pulling his hand free from her and struggling to get his pants undone.

Jo literally gasped when his hand suddenly withdrew, and she tried to glare at him. It didn't work so well with need-fogged eyes. "You fucking tease," she groaned, trying to squirm further out of her pants.

"Me?" he said, getting his jeans down as far as they would go and using his feet to push them off the rest of the way before rolling above her. "Never."

"I should make you beg first," she warned, though her leg had already slid around his. It didn't much to adjust himself through his boxers, and he pressed his forehead against hers as he easily slid into her.

"You're the one who's gonna beg," he exhaled against her lips.

A shiver ran through her, rising up and out as a whimper even as her fingers twisted in the back of his shirt. Her eyes never left his, though, intense and unblinking as she rocked her hips up to his. Jay kept the movements small and controlled, grinding into her rather than thrusting, his hands clenching into fists at either side of her head. He watched her eyes dilate, the sound of their shallow breathing enough to make him want to throw his own words to the wind and fuck into her so hard and fast that her cry would reverberate off the trees.

"So fucking perfect," he murmured.

Despite her determination to outlast him, her body already was going crazy at the slow pace of it all. Each breath seemed closer to a plea, her leg shifting higher so her heel dug into the small of his back. When she thought she couldn't take it any more, she leaned up, capturing his mouth in a frantic kiss. Jay returned it just as hungrily, one hand moving to thread into her hair as he finally pulled back just enough for short, shallow thrusts, hard enough that she bumped upward beneath him on each one. At least it was a small relief. Jo's hand slid into his hair, her heel trying to pull him in deeper with each thrust. She put the rest of her pent up need into the kiss, sucking and nipping at his lips when she wasn't intent on tasting every corner of him. She felt his lips curl upward slightly beneath her mouth, and then without warning he stopped moving altogether, though he kissed her as if he was unaware of it.

She gave a grunt of frustration at the sudden and complete lack of friction, her body practically throbbing in need. God, she should have known he was being too easy on her. She managed to keep herself from squirming, throwing herself into the kiss. Then her hand twisted in his hair, pulling him back sharply so she could kiss and nip her way along his jawline and down his neck. "Tell me all the things you've wanted to do to me," she said in a hiss, trying to ignore the crying need below her waist.

The request was enough to pull a subconscious thrust out of him, his thoughts slurred and slow. "Done most," he replied in a gravelly voice, tilting his head slightly to give her better access. When her teeth found a small patch of sensitive skin on his neck, he thrust faintly again. "I thought about... bringing you off on the bar, the first time I saw you. Sitting up on it with your legs over my shoulders as I teased and sucked your pussy."

Her tongue circled the spot that had elicited the glorious little thrust, giving it another nip. "I still have the keys, y'know," she said as lightly as she could manage, the idea causing her to squirm as well. "Any night you're in the mood..."

Jay thrust again, giving a low moan as his hand tightened in her hair for a moment.  _Your mom would kill me,_  he thought in answer, though he didn't dare say it aloud. "And now the car... fucking you in the driver's seat, you riding me while I play with those gorgeous tits.  _Jesus,_ Jo-"

The need in his voice sliced through her like a knife and she bit down hard on her lip, her back arching and hips snapping up in desperation, but  _dammit_ , she wasn't going to beg. Unable to resist anymore, Jay thrust hard and fast into her again, their skin snapping audibly beneath the sleeping bag. He felt a pull signaling his closeness, and with a low groan he forced himself to stop again, dipping his head to nip sharply into the spot where her neck and shoulder met. The friction was unbelievable, Jo riding it right back up to the edge. And then he  _stopped_ ; she actually gave a cry of disappointment. Her hands tightened in his hair and against his back, knowing she couldn't take it any more.

"Please..." Her voice was hardly more than a breath. Jay thrust sharply into her again at the one word, grinding up into her clit hard.

"You want more?" he said in a ragged voice, just barely keeping himself in check. He was determined to get her to beg, and with every beg he would fuck into her. The thought of his plan alone sent a rush of lust through him.

The pleasure was so fleeting, she wasn't even sure if it was worth it. Of course that didn't stop her from desperately wanting more. She nodded, one hand sliding to his ass. "Yes.  _Please._ "

Again, another thrust, only this time he kept his hips rolling in small circles. "I'm not sure I believe you," he murmured in answer, giving another sharp thrust and then a second.

Well, fuck, she'd already given in; no reason not to go full force. She pulled his face towards hers, each word a hot breath against his lips. "I want you to fuck me," she growled. "Fuck me into the  _ground_ , and take me hard all night until I've-"

Jay cut her off with a searing kiss, moving the hand that had been in her hair down to her leg to hike it up before granting her request. Her moan was swallowed up in their kiss, the thrusts nearly jarring them apart each time, but stopping like he did had given him a new burst of control. He dragged his nails against her thigh, skidding along her hip before moving it up beneath her shirt and running his thumb against the sharp peak of her nipple. Each thrust was bruising perfection, his hands just spiking the pleasure through her. There was no ground or sleeping bag or cold, just him and her and the heat rushing through her like melted butter.

Her nails dug into his back as she surged over the edge, breaking the kiss to scream out. Jay groaned in appreciation as she clamped down around him, managing all of three more thrusts before he came as well, each rush of pleasure pulling out a choked gasp that he muffled into her neck. For a few moments he allowed himself to settle his weight above her, his breathing fast and shallow until it evened out. Then he rolled them, the move careful so that they wouldn't strain against the zipper when he finally let his arms rest tiredly around her waist.

"Warm now?" he mumbled.

She sighed, nuzzling under his chin. "Mm, very," she said contentedly. Then she smiled. "Prob'ly going to get cold again, though, especially with my pants off. You might have to warm me up again."

"Tch, so needy," he replied playfully, ghosting his fingertips along her right side near her ribs.

Even in the warm afterglow, his touch sent a quiver through her. "Good thing you love to give," she teased, nipping at his jawline.

"I love to give to  _you_ ," he corrected, turning up his jaw just a little as his fingertips moved downward to skate over her hips and up again. "D'you want me to get you some sweats or somethin'?"

"See? Always giving," she said with a smile. Biting her lip, she added, "But yeah, eventually."

"I can reach," he said with a small laugh, turning to look down at her and kissing her forehead. "It's warmer in here now. You'll be fine. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"Good," she said, her leg twining with his. "Would be a shame to start getting cold and undo all your good work."

Jay laughed again, taking a breath before lunging himself beneath her slightly, inching up in the sleeping bag so his arm could grab on to the strap of the duffel bag with her clothes. That done, he twisted his grip in it and gave it a sharp tug. She had to give a laugh at that, pulling the bag to her side once he got it close enough.

"Good thing you got long arms," she said, digging a bit before pulling out the sweats.

"Now comes the fun part," he teased her gently, only mildly disappointed that he had to detangle himself from her in order for her to get the sweats on.

"I've had to get dressed in smaller spaces," she teased, squirming and bending to get her legs in the pants. Jay slid his hands up to hold her at the waist, grazing his lips along the inside of her elbow when it came within reach. Giving a breath of a laugh, Jo, straightened, her hands going from the hem of her pants to under his shirt. She smiled at him, her nails going lightly across his abdomen. The muscles beneath her fingers jumped and Jay let out a breath of laughter, squirming beneath her.

"Bully," he mumbled, bringing her back down and kissing her neck affectionately.

"You're the kind and giving one, I'm the mean and selfish one, works great," she said, a smile in her voice as she closed her eyes and tilted her head to give him better access. At her words, he gave her a light nip.

"Hm. I see spanking in your future," he said into her ear.

His words sent a little thrill down her spine though she tried not to let it show, one hand sliding to his back and then past the hem of his pants to palm his cheek. "I dunno," she said thoughtfully. "You haven't been  _that_  bad. Not sure you'd deserve it."

Jay snorted lightly, squirming again slightly. "We better sleep if we want to get up in time for the fish to be hungry."

"Wow. Choosing fish over me; now who's the bully," she teased, tilting her head to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"You can take it out on the fish later. Promise," he replied, turning his mouth to catch her lips with his. She kissed him back, keeping it lazy. Her hand slid above his waist, though her arm still rested around him, her hips shifting forward to settle flush against him. It was definitely a distraction to him, and a part of him felt a swell of happiness that she could crave him so obviously. True, it had only been a few months, but it felt so perfect and comfortable. He never wanted anything else.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips.

Her stomach lurched; she'd thought, after the last time he'd said it, he'd settled back to wait for her to return it. And she wanted to, or at least part of her did. The other part of her squirmed and shrunk back from the idea. Instead, her palm pressed against his back to pull him closer as she dove back into the kiss. Jay instantly felt a stab of disappointment, but he simply slid his hand against her cheek, returning the kiss just as deeply before he broke it again, rolling them both so that they were on their sides and he spooned up behind her. She was relieved he didn't broach the subject, pulling his arm over her and giving the palm a kiss before she twined her fingers with his. Giving a content sigh, she closed her eyes.

* * *

Jay had always been a morning person. It was easy for him to wake with dawn, as it was something he did daily. Being outside in nature only made it that much easier to feel, hear, and taste the dawn coming. Jo looked so peaceful as she slept, and as much as he hated the idea of leaving her, he couldn't bring himself to wake her. Jay kissed her forehead as he carefully detached from her. Dressing in silent and packing up his breakfast, he peaked in at her one last time before heading off to where he'd tied up the boat.

It was a decent trek out to the lake, and by the time he saw the boat the sky had started to bloom in the soft, pale pinks and oranges.

"HELP!"

Jay was immediately tense, his eyes wide as his head turned sharply in every direction.  _Where?_  he thought instantly.  _C'mon. Where are you?_

"WHERE ARE YOU?" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the trees.

" _HELP!_ "

It had come from a patch of trees to the left, and Jay immediately took off in the direction, his heart hammering in his chest. As he ran, the voice was silent; he slowed, opening his mouth to call out again, when a sharp pain sliced through his shoulder and he was yanked up off the ground.

* * *

Jo kept looking at the sun, which was on the west side of overhead. Shrugging to pull her hands inside the sleeves of the jacket - oversized, one of his - she paced by the fire, hardly even realizing she was moving.

She'd been a bit frustrated when she woke up and he was gone. After all, she'd said she'd wanted to go out fishing with him, and she had been looking forward to a lazy, quiet morning on the lake. She also had felt a bit guilty, worried this might be because he was disappointed or even angry she hadn't said 'I love you' back. But she got dressed, built up a fire, and ate breakfast.

Then time passed. And kept passing. Lunch had even come and gone, but no sign of Jay. It wasn't right. Even if he hadn't caught a thing, even if he was pissed off at her, he'd be back by now. So she'd started packing; clothes, food, matches, anything that would fit in her duffel; even the whiskey, in case she ended up far from camp when night fell. Slipping the duffel straps over her shoulder to make a less-than-ideal backpack, she headed for the lake.

It was a while before she hit the shore, walking along it a while to find where he had docked the boat. The first thing she saw was his fishing gear, in a heap on the ground. Her heart jumped to hammering and she ran over to it, glancing to see the boat was still there as well. "Shit," she hissed, trying to take deep breaths.

Her gaze darting around the nearby woods, it was a moment before she could manage the breath to yell. "Jay!" She cupped her hands around her mouth, taking a deeper breath. "JAY!"

There was no answer, but she knew it was a slim chance. She could feel the panic welling up in her, like an expanding lead ball, but she tried to fight it down. That wouldn't do anyone any good. She tried to refocus herself, looking down at the tacklebox-and footsteps. She frowned; the toe of that one was dug in deep, as though he'd pushed off hard and fast. Running? What to? The prints quickly got swallowed up on the undergrowth, but there were enough to give her a direction. Taking a breath, she followed where they lead, watching the ground for any partial prints or disturbed undergrowth. It wasn't hard to follow; he hadn't been at all cautious. But then, suddenly, the markers ended. She searched the ground five feet in every direction, sure she must have missed something, but nothing was disturbed. So she went back to the last place, a scuffle of dirt. It looked almost as if he'd pushed off and jumped. Like he'd tried to climb-

Her breath caught in her chest. There, about ten feet up the tree, were clawmarks. Her body seized up, but her mind was at a sprint. Woods, claws, Minnesota, someone snatched away while camping. Growing up at the Roadhouse, she'd heard about nearly everything; some things only when her mother was in the other room and the hunter had a few drinks in him. That had been the case with the Wendigo. It was fast and gruesome, and sometimes kept its victims alive for weeks, even months. But that was in the fall, saving up for winter. Now it was spring; now it would be hungry. She hadn't looked at any papers for the place before they came here. Maybe others had been disappearing already; maybe Jay could still be alive.

 _He is. He will be. He **has**  to be._ She set her jaw, her eyes scanning the trees for another marker, finding it twenty feet away, another set of clawmarks. Even if the trail ended there, it didn't matter. She would find the Wendigo's lair.

* * *

Jay found himself waking up an unknown amount of time later, his wrists and head throbbing as if he'd been hit with a sledgehammer. It was dark, and it took him a few minutes to adjust, but once he had, he felt a chill of trepidation race down his spine. He wasn't alone: not five feet to his left were two other bodies, one male and one female. The male's left arm was gone, nothing left but a bloody pulp where the appendage had been. He couldn't tell whether or not if he was alive, but it was a safe bet to say that he wasn't. The female appeared to still be breathing.

"Shit," Jay whispered hoarsely. The fear was instant. He didn't even bother struggling; there would be no way he could break the bonds. "Shit, shit-"

The female stirred at the sound, her head turning lethargically toward him.

"Get out," she rasped. "You've gotta..."

 _Jo_ , he thought forlornly. By now, she was probably in panic mode. "It's gonna be okay. I've got someone out there who'll be looking for me. What's your name?"

"M-Marie," she said, her voice still rough. "It... it ate Will. I s-saw." Her voice hitched in a sob. "We're gonna die."

"Marie, listen to me," Jay said seriously. "Listen to me. We're gonna get out of here. I promise. Just hold on."

She continued to cry, but he saw the movement of her head nodding. His own words did little to stave his own panic. There was a distant light coming in from somewhere, so at least there was still daylight out. It was probably out still hunting. They had time. Or so he thought, until the skittering sound of pebbles came from the direction of the light, a shadow passing over the little beam shining against the cave wall. Marie gave a whimper, struggling against her bonds.

Jo walked slowly into the cave. She held the whiskey bottle in her left hand, a rag protruding from the top. In her right was a match, at the ready. Her eyes adjusted slowly, and it only got darker as she turned a corner. Her heart leapt with terror when she saw a shadowy figure but she quickly realized there were two more with it, and they were much too small. And tied up. And one of them she would know anywhere.

"Jay," she said, her voice hitching with relief and terror and tears she'd managed to hold back until then. She rushed forward without even thinking, throwing her arms around him and pressing her mouth to his. "I love you," she said in a rush, hardly pulling back. "I wanted you to know- I should have-"

"We'll talk about it later," he said back in a strained voice. "Quick, get me down."

"Is she here to save us?" Marie asked in a small, equally strained voice.

It was hard to reign herself back in after letting go, but Marie's words brought her back into focus. "Yes, I am," she said, setting down the bottle and shrugging out of her pack to grab her knife. She made short work of cutting Jay down, then cutting his hands free from each other. Then she went to do the same with Marie's bonds.

"Can you get her out of here?" Jay asked her, taking up the moltov cocktail while she worked.

Once the bonds were off, Jo rubbed at the girl's wrists to help circulation. She looked at Jay sharply, better able to see him with her adjusted eyes. "I'm not leaving without you," she said firmly, taking in the probably-dried blood on his shirt. "Besides, you're hurt."

"Marie, when's the last date you remember?" Jay asked the other young woman. She leaned heavily into Jo, unsteady on her own legs.

"May 30th," Marie replied. Jay looked back at Jo with a serious expression.

"You can't carry us both. She's worse off than me."

"I don't care, I'm not leaving you," Jo said plainly. She knew she was supposed to feel a little more conflicted, but she didn't. There was simply no other option for her. "We'll manage. C'mon, Marie, I've got some food. We'll grab it and go." She helped the girl the few feet to her pack. A distant growl echoed down to them, and all three of them tensed immediately. Jay hardly hesitated, putting himself between the darkness and two women. Not trusting the match, he checked his jeans for the zippo he normally kept on his person. Silently reassuring Marie, Jo settled her down on the ground, pulling out her knife. She knew it wasn't supposed to do any good, but she felt better with it in hand.

A shadow crossed over the patch of faint orange light against the cave wall.  _Wait for it_ , Jay thought, feeling his muscles grow more and more tense. There was the sound of dragging as well, which gave him just enough courage to turn to look at Jo. Wordlessly he took off toward the shadow, flipping the zippo to life. Jo wanted to stop him but held back as the giant shadow from of the Wendigo turned the corner, a limp body hanging from its hand.

"HEY YOU SONOFABITCH!" Jay shouted, lighting the scrap of cloth twisted into the neck of the whiskey bottle and pitching it straight at the creature's face. It collided just as the Wendigo had attempted to flee, and it let out a wail, furtively trying to extinguish the blaze with its hands. The fire spread, sending red-orange light bouncing off the walls as it quickly burned across its flesh. Jay dropped down on his knee, catching the leg of the victim and giving it a deft tug, adrenaline just staving off the pain that shot up his arms. Jo rushed forward, sheathing her knife and grabbing for Jay as the creature twisted and howled, sinking to its knees. She followed his arm, pulling at the victim's leg and Jay, but by the time they'd moved much at all, the Wendigo was a smoldering pile of burnt flesh. Relief flooding her, Jo closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Jay's back as she held him close.

"Never a dull moment," Jay said in a bitter voice. It was going to be a long day, getting them through the woods and back into town.

* * *

Getting them into town had taken a few hours, and by the time they got back to the camp site Jay was too tired and weak to pack up everything. They'd boiled some water to keep his shoulder heated to reduce the swelling, and he was a little loopy from the pain medication, but with the Wendigo gone there wasn't anything else in the woods that could really scare him. One thing was for certain: he was never going fishing at that lake again.

"S'weird," he mumbled, readjusting against the pillows so that the wrapped towel was warmer on his skin. "You takin' care'a me for a change."

She gave a snort, bringing over the small bowl of baked beans from the fire. "It's a change I could get used to. You up for eating?" she said, holding up a spoonful. "It's not much, but that's because  _someone_  decided to go fishing alone this morning."

"I think we still got eggs in the cooler," he replied, feeling somewhat foolish as he opened his mouth for a bite.

"That should do for breakfast then," she said, enjoying his awkward expression. She supposed he could feed himself without much trouble, but he could stand being brought down a peg. Besides, it was an excuse to be near him, her hip resting against his as she fed him another bite.

"If it had been both of us, we wouldda been SOL, you know," he said in a quiet voice, his eyes lowering to their knees. The idea of them both being stuck, of being Marie and Will, scared the hell out of him. Then again, perhaps if Jo had been around, the Wendigo might not have caught the jump on him. The first idea was more likely, though.

"I'd've had your back," she said, partly trying to keep things light. Of course, it was well and easy to say here, safe and sound. She knew the thoughts going through his head were probably the same going through her own. Setting down the spoon down, she ran her fingertips along his jaw, gently tilting his chin up. "I will never let anything happen to you," she said, as though it were as simple as that. A smile pulled at his mouth, and he easily turned his face just enough to graze his lips against the inside of her wrist.

"Takin' my lines," he replied, looking fondly into her eyes.

"They're good lines," she admitted with a smile. Her thumb grazed lightly against his cheekbone, her smile fading slightly as she looked at him. She had to say it, and now, not just in the dark recesses of a cave. Nipping her own tongue for courage, she blurted, "I love you."

Jay's smile immediately lengthened, the hand on his good arm coming up to touch her wrist. It was almost a Hallelujah statement, with the high risk of the impromptu hunt still hanging between them, but he was willing to take it for that. She'd said it twice; no doubt she'd say it more earnestly later.

"C'mere," he murmured, his hand skating up her arm to behind her neck in order to pull her closer.

She didn't resist, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his mouth, though it didn't last long. "I should have said it before," she said, her forehead against his. "When you didn't come back, at first I thought it was because you were upset, because I hadn't..."

"Shh," he said, kissing her again to further quiet her before also breaking it. "I wasn't before, and I wasn't yesterday. And if this is just a life-affirming moment, I won't be mad about that, either. I know how you feel."

"It's not just that," she said quickly, her forehead wrinkling in concern. "I was... I mean-" She gave a frustrated huff before taking his mouth in a deep kiss. Some things were just hard to put into words. Jay bit back the urge to chuckle, knowing it was inappropriate considering how flustered she was. Pushing her never resulted in things getting done, and he was rather liking this turn of events for what it was worth, his hand sliding back down her arm to circle around her waist instead and tug her an inch closer. She snuggled up to him but did break the kiss to give him a look.

"You are injured, you know," she said, only half mocking. "No strenuous activity for a while."

"I'll have to be very careful," he said sagely, nuzzling his nose into hers.

"You should," she said, looking at his shoulder, her fingertips ghosting over the towel. "Never turns out well for the men I love. Or I just love cursed men. Either way, you're pretty much screwed." The words were light but her eyes held a little weight of worry. Jay kissed the tip of her nose once she was within reach.

"If I'm goin' out, you're coming with," he told her, kissing her again. "So I guess that's not gonna happen, because I'm keeping you safe."

"And I'm keeping you safe," she teased, kissing the tip of his nose in return. "So no sneaking out or it all goes to hell."

"Yes, ma'am," Jay replied, smiling and snaking his arm back around her to pull her between his knees.

She smirked. "Sure you're not more hungry? You did miss lunch, after all," she teased, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before nipping at his bottom lip.

"Probably should," he said, letting his hand drop down to her hip before falling back onto his leg. His stomach chimed up in agreement, and he let out a laugh, running his hand over his face. She grinned, not really moving from her position so much as shifting to grab the bowl again. It wasn't terribly comfortable, but she could manage to feed him like this.

"A dinner of beans," she mused, taking a spoonful herself before giving him one. "We're going to be a charming couple tonight."

"We can pile into the truck and go into town if you want," he replied, his tone still amused. "I just can't drive all that well."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting we go into town before or after the bean fest? Because I'm happy to deal with your farts, but we don't need to go subjecting everyone else to them."

"Screw the beans," he laughed. "I don't want to subject you to that. Whaddya say, hm?"

That got a laugh. "Well, if you're sure you can make it. You've had a long day; don't want to go and tire you out completely."

"Drive-thru, then," he said, leaning in to kiss her again before pushing himself up with his good arm into an upright sitting position.

"Sounds good," she said, standing up and taking his good arm to pull him up with her. "Think you can stand to have me driving your truck?"

"I think I can handle it," he replied happily, leaning into her lightly once they were through the flap.

* * *

There was a Wendy's nearby, and after they'd both ordered they drove back to the camp site, Jay eating while they drove and feeding Jo french fries whenever she asked for one. By the time they got back it was just turning dusk, and rather than get straight out of the warm truck he lingered, sipping on the Mountain Dew while Jo ate her burger.

"Y'wanna stick around for a little while once we're back home?" he asked. "No need to rush out again so quick after this; I can do some mechanic work for a bit."

She raised an eyebrow, swallowing a bite prematurely. "Yeah, sure. How long were you thinking?" she said, a bit over casually.

"A week, maybe two?" he replied, though from the sound of it he was willing to be persuaded for shorter or longer.

"Oh, sure, two weeks is no problem," she said with a smile. "Wasn't sure how much work you were talking about."

"Enough to get you something pretty," he answered, smiling back and drinking the soda down until the straw sucked at air and ice.

She pulled a face. "With a mug like mine, who needs anything prettier?" she said, taking a big bite and chewing with her mouth wide open.

"Hot," he laughed, putting his hand over her face and giving her a light push. "Nothing says 'do me now' like a mouth full of Baconator."

"Hey," she whined, grabbing his wrist to pull him towards her, finishing chewing right in his face.

"I've never been so turned on in my life," he deadpanned.

She swallowed, grinning at him. "You know it," she said before leaning forward, giving him a kiss. Jay pressed his mouth back into hers when she tried to pull away, swallowing up her laugh by deepening it slightly. For a moment it was just that, their lips together, soft and open without being rushed. Jay found her hand before pulling back, keeping his forehead pressed lightly into hers as his other hand came around. Without looking down he pulled at the gold band around his ring finger, tugging it off deftly and slipping it onto hers.

For a moment she was so lost in the warm, soft moment that she didn't care what on earth his hands were doing. Then the band was suddenly  _there_. She jerked back, staring first at him, then at her hand. It was loose, no stone - his? - which kept her from having a full blown panic attack. Still, when she looked at him, there was no hiding the terror behind her eyes. "I... Wh...?"

"Put your eyes back into your head," he replied with a gentle tone of amusement, kissing her lightly. "Consider it a placeholder. Nothing more. Deal?"

She tried to let that be enough to calm her down, but it just wasn't. "It's loose," she said quietly. "I don't want to lose it."

"Put it on your thumb then," he replied, ignoring the stab of disappointment in his chest.

She knew it wasn't the response he wanted, concentrating on her hands as she shifted the ring to her thumb. The guilt was thick in her gut. She knew she loved him, right? Why should she even hesitate? Didn't she want to be with him? The fact that she was even asking that question was worrying. The answer was yes, a thousand times over, but then why did a ring make so much of a difference. She watched it, turning it over and over around her thumb.

"Hey," he murmured, watching the emotion crossing on her face and once again pressing his forehead lightly against hers. "I'm not trying to rush you. I finally heard you say it today. That's enough for me."

Chewing the inside of her cheek, she still couldn't lift her eyes to his. It would be easier to fake the reassurance, but doing things the easy way is what ended Chase and her. "I want to be what you want me to be,  _when_  you want me to be," she said quietly.

"I don't," he countered, brushing his lips against hers faintly. "I don't want you to be what I want you to be. I want you to be you. That's what I've always loved about you."

"And that's good enough for you?" she said, her tone with a light tease. "Me being the spoiled little brat tugging you around any way I like?"

"I think I do a fair bit of tugging," he replied, smiling. "C'mon. Let's go be horizontal; it's getting to be a bit cramped in here."

She still felt a bit awkward about the whole thing but certainly wouldn't mind a distraction. She gave him a quick peck. "Now that I can do," she said before sliding from the truck.


End file.
